European Court of Human Rights avoids taking position on amnesty bill
Strasbourg Court does not want to "interfere with a democratic process" but does not rule out action once law is approved
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled out taking a position on the amnesty for the Catalan independence movement before the bill is signed into law because it would be "interfering with a democratic process."
"A judge can never take a position on a draft law because it would be interfering in a democratic process," the president of the court, Síofra O'Leary, said in a press conference on Thursday morning.
The Strasbourg court has therefore refused to make a ruling on the amnesty law until it is approved.
O'Leary did state, however, that the ECHR could – if it considers it appropriate – put more questions to the Spanish government once the bill becomes law.