MADRID.- The Supreme Court of Spain will initiate an investigation against Carles PuigdemontCatalan independence leader, for alleged acts of “terrorism” linked to activities carried out by the separatist group known as Tsunami Democràtic in 2019.
This measure occurs in a context in which the Spanish government and Puigdemont’s party are in negotiations on a possible amnesty law for separatists involved in the attempted secession of Catalonia in 2017, one of the most critical episodes in history. contemporary politics of Spain.
The Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court decided to “initiate an investigation and, where appropriate, proceed to a trial” against the former Catalan president and current MEP “for terrorism crimes related to the events investigated in the ‘Democratic Tsunami’ case” , according to a statement issued by the court.
This decision of the court has been taken following the request of a judge from the National Court, a body in charge of terrorism cases, who presented “indications that, in his opinion, suggest the participation” of Puigdemont and another individual under investigation, Rubén Wagensberg, deputy in the Catalan Parliament, “in the events under investigation”, as indicated in the statement.
The Supreme Court highlighted that “there is no doubt that the events attributed to ‘Tsunami Democràtic’ constitute a crime of terrorism”, citing as an example the blockade and attempted occupation of the Barcelona airport during a protest called by this group.
Tsunami Democràtic coordinated a series of protests in 2019 that resulted in roadblocks and riots in Barcelona, in response to prison sentences handed down to pro-independence leaders for the 2017 secession attempt.
Puigdemont evades justice
The possibility that Puigdemont, who has been in Belgium since the end of 2017 to evade Spanish justice, could be investigated for terrorism led his party to block the approval in Congress of the Amnesty Law in first reading on January 30, arguing that this did not go far enough.
The crime of terrorism is currently not contemplated in Spanish law in its current form.
The Socialist party, led by the president of the government Pedro Sánchez, and Puigdemont’s party, Junts per Catalunya (Together for Catalonia, JxCat), continue negotiating the text of the law, which must be presented on March 7 for debate and vote again in Congress.
The issue of amnesty for independentistas remains a highly controversial issue in Spain and was a key demand of Junts to support Sánchez’s re-election by Congress last November.
Source: With information from AFP
