CATALONIA
'Catalan separatists in court - the charge of rebellion is absurd.
The trial against the Catalan separatist leaders is not carried out in the courtroom but in the public eye.'
'The charge of rebellion against some of the separatist leaders that
the prosecution raises is politically motivated; they might receive the
highest possible prison sentences. But this offense requires violence
and the defendants have always spoken out against violent action.'
'Also politically motivated is the long pre-trial detention, which was
imposed on the defendants [...], they wanted to intimidate the
separatist leaders, and they wanted to prevent them from appearing in
public.'
'Added to this was a scandal in the occupation of the
highest posts in the judiciary; this is apparently negotiated by
socialists and conservatives in backroom deals. [...]. So one can not
imagine an independent jurisdiction.'
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