Jailed activist denounces ‘violation of human rights’

Jordi Cuixart has been in pre-trial prison since October 16 last year

Jordi Cuixart in a pro-independence rally in 2017 (by ACN)
Jordi Cuixart in a pro-independence rally in 2017 (by ACN) / ACN

ACN | Barcelona

August 3, 2018 04:50 PM

The defence of the jailed activist Jordi Cuixart has appealed to Spain’s Supreme Court that it is “totally unfair” he has been behind bars since October 16 last year. It is “a clear violation of human rights against a leader of civil society.

There is no reason to keep the president of grassroots pro-independence group Òmnium Cultural in prison, the appeal states. Cuixart always used means within the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it indicates, such as freedom of expression, ideological freedom, the right to assembly and demonstration and the right to political participation.

In a statement, Òmnium reiterated that “peaceful protest is one of the central tools of any democratic society” and that protest “must not only be allowed but also protected, never criminalized.”

Calls for release

There have been repeated calls for the release of Cuixart and the other eight jailed independence leaders. Each appeal has been rejected thus far.

Last week, Spain’s Supreme Court rejected the latest petition for freedom from Catalan leaders, jailed for their role in the independence bid—the first time such a decision is made by the magistrates who will judge them, the next step following the investigation phase.

In total, there are nine pro-independence leaders preemptively imprisoned, including former ministers, the former parliament speaker, and two grassroots activists. They all face criminal charges of rebellion for calling a referendum and declaring independence, despite Spain’s opposition.