The Catalan National Assembly published a thread on the US Dep of State's 2020 Country report on Spain. It mentions the political plight of Catalonia in several sections.
Click 
, if need be, to read the text,includi9ng extracts from the Report.
US State Department annual report: “On March 8, the UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues @fernanddev
expressed concern about the restrictions and criminal charges against
Catalan politicians and civil society activists involved in the
"referendum" of October 2017"
"The SR agreed w/ conclusions of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (2) that the extended detentions & subsequent convictions of @jordialapreso & @jordicuixart, as well as the Catalan political leaders in prison, were to intimidate them because of their political views"
"In July, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention reiterated its previous recommendation to release seven of the nine Catalan
pro-independence prisoners convicted of sedition by the Supreme Court
for their role in the October 2017 “referendum” on Catalan
independence."
"@amnesty called on the Spanish
govt to publish information about any contracts it had w/ digital
surveillance companies based on a complaint filed by Catalan Parliament
Speaker @rogertorrent & parliamentarian @ernestmaragall that their cell phones were surveilled in 2019"
"In a March 8 report, the @UN
Special Rapporteur for Minority Issues(1) expressed concern that the
October 2019 sentencing of 12 Catalan politicians and civil society
activists interfered with the freedom of expression and nonviolent
political dissent of the Catalan minority"
Moreover, he "expressed concern about the increase in Catalonia of
hate speech against Catalans as a minority group in social and other
media as a result of the protests following the October 2019 sentencing
of 12 Catalan politicians and civil society activists"
"The Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues @fernanddev also reported that politicians and others outside the #Catalonia had begun to paint Catalans as traitors who had to be dealt with severely, at times using violent language"
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Extracts from Report: https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/spain/
page 6:
"Political Prisoners and Detainees
On March 8, the UN special rapporteur for minority issues expressed concerns about the restrictions and criminal charges against Catalan politicians and civil society activists involved in the October 2017 “referendum.” The special rapporteur called on the government to abide by its legal obligations to protect the human rights of minorities, including the Catalan minority, especially regarding the freedoms of expression; peaceful assembly, association; and participation in public life. The ombudsman rejected the categorization of the Catalan-speaking population as a minority. The special rapporteur agreed with conclusions of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention that the extended detentions and subsequent convictions of Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart, the two civil society activists convicted in the case, as well as the other Catalan political leaders in prison, were to intimidate them because of their political views.
On March 8, the UN special rapporteur for minority issues expressed concerns about the restrictions and criminal charges against Catalan politicians and civil society activists involved in the October 2017 “referendum.” The special rapporteur called on the government to abide by its legal obligations to protect the human rights of minorities, including the Catalan minority, especially regarding the freedoms of expression; peaceful assembly, association; and participation in public life. The ombudsman rejected the categorization of the Catalan-speaking population as a minority. The special rapporteur agreed with conclusions of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention that the extended detentions and subsequent convictions of Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart, the two civil society activists convicted in the case, as well as the other Catalan political leaders in prison, were to intimidate them because of their political views.
On May 13, Amnesty International criticized the Supreme Court’s interpretation of sedition as “excessively broad” and alleged it resulted in the “criminalization of acts of protest.” On November 3, it reiterated its call for the government to release Sanchez and Cuixart.
In July the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention reiterated (3) its previous recommendation to release seven of the nine Catalan proindependence prisoners convicted of sedition by the Supreme Court for their role in the October 2017 “referendum” on Catalan independence. Representatives of several Catalan national political parties called those convicted “political prisoners,” but neither the government nor any international human rights NGO supported this claim."
p. 7:
"f. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence
The constitution prohibits such actions. On October 22, a court in Barcelona agreed to investigate a complaint filed by Catalan regional parliament president Roger Torrent and regional parliamentarian Ernest Maragall that their cell phones were surveilled in 2019 using a software program developed by the Israeli company NSO Group. Amnesty International called on the government to publish information about any contracts it has with digital surveillance companies."
The constitution prohibits such actions. On October 22, a court in Barcelona agreed to investigate a complaint filed by Catalan regional parliament president Roger Torrent and regional parliamentarian Ernest Maragall that their cell phones were surveilled in 2019 using a software program developed by the Israeli company NSO Group. Amnesty International called on the government to publish information about any contracts it has with digital surveillance companies."
p. 8:
"In a March 8 report, the UN special rapporteur for minority issues expressed concern that the October 2019 sentencing of 12 Catalan politicians and civil society activists interfered with the freedom of expression and nonviolent political dissent of the Catalan minority and could serve as a signal to prevent the political dissent of other minority groups. The national ombudsman rejected the categorization of the Catalan-speaking population as a minority.
On July 16, Amnesty International called on the government to repeal the criminalization of the glorification of terrorism, insults to the crown, and offending “religious feelings,” which it maintained unduly restricts freedom of expression.
On January 16, the Barcelona hate crimes prosecutor presented the first-ever legal complaint against an individual who falsely claimed in social media that unaccompanied foreign minors were linked to school violence. The prosecutor noted that online hate speech was often not prosecuted due to lack of information on the identities of the perpetrators."
p.10:
"In February the International Federation of Journalists warned in its 2019 annual report about the increase in cases of violence against the exercise of journalism in Catalonia, asserting that this community has become “dangerous territory” for journalists."
p. 11:
"Academic Freedom and Cultural Events
...
In its 2019 annual report published on May 13 (4), the ombudsman reported continuing complaints about the lack of “ideological neutrality” in places of education, particularly in Catalonia. This included instances of “partisan symbolism” on the facades of schools and other public spaces in Catalonia. The ombudsman reported resistance by authorities--particularly Catalan regional government departments and city councils as well as educational, cultural, and health centers--to removing such symbolism after receiving citizen complaints. The ombudsman called upon these authorities to uphold principles of ideological neutrality in public spaces."
...
In its 2019 annual report published on May 13 (4), the ombudsman reported continuing complaints about the lack of “ideological neutrality” in places of education, particularly in Catalonia. This included instances of “partisan symbolism” on the facades of schools and other public spaces in Catalonia. The ombudsman reported resistance by authorities--particularly Catalan regional government departments and city councils as well as educational, cultural, and health centers--to removing such symbolism after receiving citizen complaints. The ombudsman called upon these authorities to uphold principles of ideological neutrality in public spaces."
p. 19:
"Elections and Political Participation
...
In a March 8 report, the UN special rapporteur for minority issues expressed concern that the October 2019 sentencing of 12 Catalan politicians and civil society activists interfered with the freedom of expression and nonviolent political dissent of the Catalan minority and could serve as a signal to prevent the political dissent of other minority groups. The Spanish Ombudsman rejected the categorization of the Catalan-speaking population as a minority."
p. 30:
"Members of National/Racial/Ethnic Minority Groups
...
The UN special rapporteur for minority issues expressed concern about the increase in Catalonia of hate speech against Catalans as a minority group in social and other media as a result of the protests following the October 2019 sentencing (5) of 12 Catalan politicians and civil society activists. The special rapporteur also reported that politicians and others outside the region had begun to paint Catalans as traitors who had to be dealt with severely, at times using violent language. The national ombudsman rejected the categorization of the Catalan-speaking population as a minority."
Notes
(1) UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Report of the Special Rapporteur on minority issues (A/HRC/43/47)
- Addendum to the Report of the Special Rapporteur on minority issues – Visit to Spain(A/HRC/43/47/Add.1).
(2) UN Working Group on
Arbitrary Detention.
- UN calls for immediate release of three Catalan political prisoners. Report by Working Group on Arbitrary Detention calls on Spain to compensate officials and considers detentions violation of fundamental rights. https://english.vilaweb.cat/noticies/un-calls-for-release-of-three-catalan-political-prisoners/
- Opinion 6/2019 (Spain), A/HRC/WGAD/2019/6
- Opinion 12/2019 (Spain) A/HRC/WGAD/2019/12
(3) UN Working Group on
Arbitrary Detention
- The UN recalls that Spain has ignored its request to release political prisoners. This is reiterated in the annual report of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which called for their release last year. https://english.vilaweb.cat/noticies/the-un-recalls-that-spain-has-ignored-its-request-to-release-political-prisoners/
(4) Defensor del Pueblo (Spanish Ombudsman)
"3.3 NEUTRALIDAD IDEOLÓGICA DE LAS ADMINISTRACIONES PÚBLICAS
Se siguen recibiendo quejas de ciudadanos por la instalación de símbolos de contenido ideológico en los edificios públicos y por la resistencia de las administraciones públicas a retirar esta simbología, pese a dirigirse a ellas instando su remoción y apelando a la necesaria neutralidad que debe presidir la actuación de las administraciones públicas.
Se siguen recibiendo quejas de ciudadanos por la instalación de símbolos de contenido ideológico en los edificios públicos y por la resistencia de las administraciones públicas a retirar esta simbología, pese a dirigirse a ellas instando su remoción y apelando a la necesaria neutralidad que debe presidir la actuación de las administraciones públicas.
En estas quejas se ha solicitado informe a la Administración responsable,nprincipalmente ayuntamientos de Cataluña y departamentos de la Administraciónn autonómica, así como en otros casos a centros culturales, docentes o sanitarios dependientes de ambas. En las respuestas recibidas se esgrime la libertad de expresión como fundamento de dicha instalación, para difundir mensajes con carga ideológica que son aceptados por muchos, si bien se reconoce que esta posición pudiera no ser admitida de forma unánime por toda la población.
Frente a esta tesis, hay que recordar que las libertades ideológica y de expresión son derechos y libertades fundamentales de las personas, no de las instituciones públicas a través de sus representantes, y que son las personas las que tienen derecho a la neutralidad ideológica de tales instituciones, que no son partidos políticos ni entidades cívicas.
Con independencia del fundamento en el que se basan para adoptar estas decisiones, lo cierto es que los ciudadanos tienen derecho a acudir a las dependencias administrativas sin sentirse presionados por la posición política dominante o mayoritaria de sus dirigentes y a desenvolverse en sus relaciones con las administraciones públicas en un ambiente de objetividad y ausencia de imposición ideológica. En todos los casos citados, y como ya se mencionó en el informe del año anterior, el Defensor del Pueblo ha finalizado su actuación formulando un Recordatorio del deber legal de «Respetar la neutralidad ideológica en las fachadas e interior de los edificios públicos, pues la apariencia de imparcialidad es complemento necesario del deber de las administraciones públicas a que se refieren el artículo 103.1 de la Constitución española y el artículo 30.2 del Estatuto de Cataluña»."
5. Sentencia del Tribunal Supremo n.º 459/2019, de 14 de octubre
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