Spain’s trial of Catalan separatists is worse than an outrage – it is a terrible mistake | The Independent
CATALONIA
'Spain’s trial of Catalan separatists is worse than an outrage – it is a terrible mistake'
'From the beginning, from the confrontational way in which the Spanish
police handled peaceful demonstrations in Catalonia, the authorities in
Madrid have got this wrong. They responded to the attempts by the
devolved parliament in Barcelona to seek independence with a
heavy-handed refusal to respect free expression and democratic,
non-violent demands.'
'For a
non-violent political dissident to have to seek exile in another EU
country – Belgium – is a stain on Spain’s membership of a union
supposedly committed to the protection and furtherance of human rights.'
'What makes Tuesday’s court proceedings in Madrid so controversial is
that, if the defendants are found guilty, they are bound to appeal,
eventually to the European Court of Human Rights, where their right to
peaceful expression of their views is almost certain to be recognised.'
'If Spain’s prime minister cannot see that what his government is doing
in Catalonia is wrong, he should realise that it is counterproductive
and risks storing up much greater trouble for the future.'
https://www.independent.co.uk/…/spain-catalan-independence-…
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