UN official expresses 'concern' about 'alleged attacks' on Puigdemont's lawyer
Special Rapporteur Diego García-Sayán dismisses money laundering allegations against former Catalan president's representative, Gonzalo Boye
lawyers
Right to defense undermined, say lawyers as tensions with judges heat up
Defense teams protest videos being banned in courtroom during witnesses’ cross-examination
Referendum leaders' lawyers denounce 'violation of right to defense' in court
Defenses request "nullity" of proceedings on first day of trial
European lawyers' group 'outraged' at 'reprisals' against colleagues defending independence leaders
European Democratic Lawyers condemn "threats" and "defamatory statements" against those representing Puigdemont and other exiled politicians
Germany asks Spain for report denying misuse of funds during referendum
The German court hearing Puigdemont's extradition case is not expected to make a decision before the end of the month
“I will never stop denouncing the situation of jailed and exiled MPs,” says Parliament speaker
Torrent responds to the Barcelona Bar Association members who walked out when he criticized the existence of “political prisoners”
Rajoy denies having ordered Catalan President’s prosecution over symbolic independence vote
The Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, confirmed before the Senate that he had “not given any instruction to the Public Prosecution Office” to press charges against the President of the Catalan Government, Artur Mas, for having authorised and organised November 9’s symbolic vote on independence. Rajoy was answering a question from Mas’ party, the centre-right pro-Catalan State Coalition CiU, which had accused the Spanish PM of hiding behind the courts in order to avoid giving Catalan citizens a political answer regarding their self-determination demands. Besides, the CiU Senators showed banners in which they pleaded guilty for November 9’s vote as well. In the morning, the Catalan Government announced it will ask to testify before the court and to do it “en bloc”, if the criminal complaint from the Spanish Public Prosecution Office is accepted.
The Barcelona Bar Association claims that self-determination is an inalienable right of Catalonia
The association’s People’s Rights Commission defends the celebration of a referendum and the unilateral independence declaration if the Spanish Government insists in not allowing a citizen vote on the issue. While is it true that the current Spanish Constitution does not allow for a self-determination referendum, the Barcelona lawyers' association argues that “in a democratic society, the law should be the expression of the people’s choice”, and therefore it should be modified accordingly to allow the referendum. It also highlights that 20 of these states are the result of secession, such as Norway, Finland, Ireland, Iceland, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia or Montenegro.
Lawyers from all over the world flock to Barcelona this week
Barcelona is hosting lawyers and legal experts from all over the world this week for the international legal trade fair and the Euro Mediterranean's annual conference for lawyers.