Article by Odei A.-Etxearte on the virtual impossibility of a legal referendum on Catalan self-determination (17 SEPT 2021)

Article by Odei A.-Etxearte in Vilaweb on the virtual impossibility of a legal referendum on Catalan self-determination, given the restrictive case-law of the Spanish Constitutional Court. I hope she authorizes this English translation (by M.S.)

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Pere Cardús argues that confrontation on the Catalan side is essential (15 SEP 2021)

In his Twitter thread, Pere Cardús argues that unless there is confrontation in the Catalan side at the table of dialogue, the negotiation will be doomed to failure. This is an English translation: I hope the author doesn't mind.

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Letter to the Federal Alliance of European Federalists (18 AUG 2021)

A letter to the Federal Alliance of European Federalists (FAEF) 

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An article by Dolors Feliu on the next steps on the road to independence [20 JUL 2021]

An article by lawyer Dolors Feliu on the pitfalls in the next steps on the road to independence. She has kindly authorized this English translation.

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An article by @GemmaLinan, translated into English, on Spain's on-going repression of the #Catalan independence movement through the courts (25 JULY 2021)

Journalist Gemma Liñán explains how Spain's judicial strategy against the process is crumbling because of the lack of evidence. 

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Twitter thread by Ramir De Porrata-Doria, on the coming "dialogue" with Spain (24 JULY 2021)

Here is a Twitter thread by Ramir De Porrata-Doria, arguing that the Catalans need to play their hand carefully in the coming "dialogue" with Spain, that many see doomed to failure. 

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Twitter thread by Albert Royo (20 JUL 2021)

A dramatic call by one of the 30+ politicaians and high ranking officials of the Government, who have to pay exorbitant sums of money ahead of the final decision of the highly politicized "Tribunal de Cuentas", equivalent to Courts of Auditors elsewhere, though with very few economists and accountants among its members, who include at least one former minister. 

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URGENT: Please sign this petition, to send to Spain's Court of Auditors in protest against repression of 41 Catalans. (27 JUN 2021)

Here is a hasty English translation of this petition to protest against a repressive measure that is unimaginable process in any modern democracy. Please sign the petition!

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Jordi Barbeta writes about the "Operation Soraya" as explained by Albert Rivera (20 JUN 2021)

An article by Jordi Barbeta on the moves by the PP to control the power to ruin leading Catalans, including Prof. Andreu Mas-Colell. Translation: MS

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A strong article by Jordi Amat on Prof. Andreu Mas-Colell (17 JUN 2021)

A strong article by Jordi Amat on the attempts by Spain to ruin distinguished Prof. Andreu Mas-Colell 

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Petition: "In Support of Professor Andreu Mas-Colell"

"In Support of Professor Andreu Mas-Colell". This petition has also been published in El País, in a Spanish translation. (16 JUN 2021)

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Thread by prestigious journalist Miguel Ángel Campos on Spanish police and media lawfare against Catalans (17 JUN 2021)

 This thread, by Miguel Angel Campos speaks for itself. Lawfare against Catalans involved in the independence movement are being lynched by the Spanish police and by most of the Spanish media, who disseminate these police reports that are pure fantasy.

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What strings have Spanish officials pulled to try and influence judgments of European courts? The author, Xavier X. Domènech, has authorized this translation (15 JUN 2021)

What if European courts rule that Spanish courts have reached judgments that violate international treaties and universal human rights? What strings have Spanish officials pulled to try and influence these judgments? Xavier F. Domènech has authorized this translation (by M. Strubell) of his thread on the subject.

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This is an English rendering of a tweet thread by Aleix Sarri on why Catalonia will never fit comfortably inside Spain (3 May 2021)

This is an English translation of a tweet thread by Aleix Sarri explaining why Catalonia will never fit comfortably inside Spain. He has kindly given me permission to publish it.  

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An article by Quico Sallés on Pres. Puigdemont's 2018 arrest in Germany (2 MAY 2021)

An article by Quico Sallés, on the Spanish secret service's involvement in the capture of President Puigdemont in Germany, on charges of "rebellion, terrorism and homicide [sic]". The German court later refused his extradition. The author has kindly authorized the publication of this English translation.

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APPG Zoom session on Catalonia, Spain and Europe" (15 MAR 2021)

 

 

 Write to: appgcatalonia@gmail.com

TIME TO STAND UP FOR EU VALUES (EN)

TIME TO STAND UP FOR EU VALUES

We recently read about violations of the rule of law in Poland and Hungary and their attempts to hold up the EU budget, and about the EU's commitment to applying the same yardstick as regards non-compliance with the rule of law in all member States. However, Spain has been kept out of the public eye, thanks to EP censorship in the report by Clare Daly MEP on fundamental rights in the Union, and to high-ranking officials in the EU and diplomats who have managed to powerfully transmit Spain’s own narrative.

However, the European Union Court of Justice ruling that Catalonia’s former vice president Oriol Junqueras enjoyed the rights of immunity that his election as an MEP granted him was totally ignored by the Spanish authorities and he is serving a 13-year prison term.

In 2018 a social activist was arrested for calling for participation in a demonstration and charged with terrorism. Yet two years later, after months of confinement to her own town, a Barcelona court dropped all charges.

In 2019 the former Catalan minister of the Interior (along with other colleagues and social leaders) was sentenced to over ten years in prison, for having controlled the Catalan police during the 2017 «sedition». Yet both the police chief and top ministry officials were recently found not guilty of any misdemeanour during those events by another court. The public prosecutor did not appeal 

Calls for the immediate release of the political prisoners, issued by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Amnesty International and a host of legal associations, have been ignored by Spain’s vindictive structures.

In 2020, the Spanish court tossed Catalan politics into turmoil by barring Quim Torra the President of Catalonia from public office, for not immediately “obeying” an election board notification that ordered him to remove two banners calling for the freeing of the Catalan political prisoners and in favour of the freedom of speech.

And recently, a Belgian court of appeal denied the extradition of Catalonia's former Minister of Culture to Spain, given serious doubts about his possibility to enjoy the right to a fair trial.

All this is just the tip of the iceberg. It is the lack of assurance of a fair trial, for deeds that are not offences in other European countries, that has six Catalan politicians and several activists living in exile in Belgium, Switzerland and Scotland. This is a shocking situation, and many in Catalonia complain of the total passivity of the European institutions, compared to their public stance on events in, say, Russia, Turkey and Byelorussia.

This is the context of the European Parliament forthcoming vote on Spain's request for the waiver of three members’ parliamentary immunity: former President Carles Puigdemont and his ministers Antoni Comin and Clara Ponsatí.

Michael Strubell

Olaudah Equiano in Barcelona (1759)

A petition is underway in Barclona to name a steeet after Olaudah Equiano (Essaka c. 1745-London 1797), who visited the city, while still a slave, in 1759. 

Here is an extract from his memoirs.

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Prof. Pérez Royo foresees the independence trial will be quashed (16 JAN 2021)

Spanish Jurist Javier Pérez Royo is certain the Spanish court convictions of the twelve Catalan politicians will be overruled. I have asked the author for permission to publish this English translation of a recent article.

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An article by Josep Casulleras on impact on Spain of Belgium Court of Appeal ruling (9 JAN 2021)

This article is on the dire dilemma Spain faces given the Belgium Court of Appeal ruling on Lluís Puig, which affects not only all exiles, but - unless the Court is stone deaf - all those convicted in the Independence process trial. This English translation (by M.S.) is published with the author's permission.

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