Jailed Catalan leaders ‘victims of revenge,’ relatives tell European Parliament

“I married a pacifist and now he is in jail accused of rebellion,” says deposed minister’s wife

Diana Riba, the wife of deposed minister Raül Romeva, at the European Parliament (by Laura Pous)
Diana Riba, the wife of deposed minister Raül Romeva, at the European Parliament (by Laura Pous) / ACN

ACN | Strasbourg

May 29, 2018 11:59 AM

The relatives of pro-independence leaders jailed in Madrid spoke at the European Parliament on Tuesday to condemn the situation of their family members as “punishment, revenge and humiliation” by Spain.

The event was also attended by relatives of the young men charged with terrorism for their involvement in a bar brawl in Alsasua, and the support group for convicted rapper Valtonyc, who recently left Spain to avoid entering jail.

Anna Forn, the daughter of deposed minister Joaquim Forn, called on the European Union to prevent “one of its member states acting with impunity.” “Today, we are the ones defending freedom and democracy, but tomorrow it could be others, and this should not only scare all Spanish citizens, but also those in Europe,” she said.