Forensic surgeon begins examining those injured on referendum day

This is the first step in investigating the police action from October 1 following complaints filed by sixty voluntary lawyers

 

Spanish police officers circle two women outside a polling station on October 1 (by ACN)
Spanish police officers circle two women outside a polling station on October 1 (by ACN) / ACN

ACN | Manresa

November 29, 2017 01:23 PM

The forensic surgeon of the court of Manresa, in central Catalonia, has begun examining 50 people injured by the Spanish police on referendum day in the county. This is the first step in the court investigation to look into police actions carried out on October 1, when Spanish law enforcement interventions against the independence referendum resulted in more than a thousand peaceful voters being injured throughout the country. 

Sixty lawyers filed the complaints that resulted in the examination. One of the attorneys who filed the complaint, David Casellas, explained that the objective is to investigate the aforementioned police action during the referendum day. He aims to discover why the Spanish law enforcement decided to use “disproportionate” force in four towns of the county (Fonollosa, Castellgalí, Callús and Sant Joan de Vilatorrada), and to find out who the officers that carried out those actions were. One of the injured individuals also said that he only wants there to not be impunity for the violence seen on the referendum day.     

Lawyers file a new complaint in Reus

The Association of October 1 Voluntary Lawyers filed a criminal complaint in the Reus courts, in southern Catalonia, also with the objective of clarifying what happened on referendum day, along with who ordered and carried out the police charges against voters in the county.  According to the attorneys who filed the complaint, the use of violence and tear gas by Spanish police can be proven through the medical reports of about twenty people.  

The necessary text was submitted to the court judge by several lawyers, wearing yellow ribbons on their lapels to show their support for the incarcerated pro-independence leaders. Said judge will then present it to the corresponding court, which will subsequently decide whether to accept the complaint or not. 

FOLLOW CATALAN NEWS ON WHATSAPP!

Get the day's biggest stories right to your phone