signatories
Brussels, 29 April 2021
Dear President of the Government of Spain, Mr Pedro Sánchez
Dear Third Vice-President of the Government of Spain and Minister of Labour and Social Economy, Ms Yolanda Diaz
Following the October 2017 independence referendum in Catalonia, the Spanish Supreme Court convicted twelve Catalan high-ranking politicians and civil society leaders for their alleged involvement in its organisation. Nine of them are serving between nine and thirteen years in prison having been sentenced for sedition. All convictions together add up to one-hundred years in prison. Seven other high-ranking politicians have gone into exile to Belgium, Switzerland and Scotland. Furthermore, since the referendum, several hundred Catalan citizens, mayors, councillors, civil servants and activists, have had or still have charges and lawsuits related to the independence referendum process open against them. Recently, yet another lawsuit was recently brought by the state prosecutor against the former Speaker of the Catalan Parliament and members of the bureau for allowing parliamentary debates and motions on self-determination.
After monitoring the trial and reviewing the judgement, Amnesty International observed that the interpretation of the crime of sedition by the Supreme Court contravened the principle of legality and permits the imposition of disproportionate restrictions. In 2020, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions called for the release of Catalan independence leaders.
Moreover, the results of the elections to the Catalan Parliament that took place on 14 February 2021, showed the remarkable resilience of the pro-independence movement with 52% of votes in favour.
For all the above-mentioned reasons, the undersigned Members of the European Parliament and national Parliaments, believe that the time has come to take courageous steps towards normality and the resolution of the conflict by purely democratic means. However, no normalization can proceed with pro-independence leaders in prison or exile and without ending the persecution those many independence supporters still facing charges.
Therefore, we call on to you to support and promote an Amnesty –with all the required legal and institutional changes– as the outset from which to enable a meaningful and comprehensive process of dialogue and negotiation for a political solution to the conflict, based on democratic principles, mutual respect and fully respecting the democratic rights of the Catalan people.
Yours faithfully,
Members of the European Parliament
1 | Alviina | Alametsä | Greens- EFA | Finland |
2 | François | Alfonsi | Greens- EFA | France |
3 | Rasmus | Andresen | Greens- EFA | Germany |
4 | Margrete | Auken | Greens- EFA | Denmark |
5 | Pernando | Barrena | GUE-NGL | Spain |
6 | Izaskun | Bilbao | Renew Europe | Spain |
7 | Benoît | Biteau | Greens- EFA | France |
8 | Geert | Bourgeois | ECR | Belgium |
9 | Milan | Brglez | S&D | Slovenia |
10 | Damien | Carême | Greens- EFA | France |
11 | Leïla | Chaibi | GUE-NGL | France |
12 | Toni | Comín | NI | Spain |
13 | David | Cormand | Greens- EFA | France |
14 | Rosa | D’Amato | Greens- EFA | Italy |
15 | Clare | Dally | GUE-NGL | Ireland |
16 | Gwendoline | Delbos-Corfield | Greens- EFA | France |
17 | Karima | Delli | Greens- EFA | France |
18 | Ozlem | Demirel | GUE-NGL | Germany |
19 | Pascal | Durand | Renew Europe | France |
20 | Claude | Gruffat | Greens- EFA | France |
21 | Francisco | Guerreiro | Greens- EFA | Portugal |
22 | José | Gusmao | GUE/NGL | Portugal |
23 | Martin | Häusling | Greens- EFA | Germany |
24 | Heidi | Hautala | Greens- EFA | Finland |
25 | Yannick | Jadot | Greens- EFA | France |
26 | Assita | Kanko | ECR | Belgium |
27 | Kateřina | Konečná | GUE-NGL | Czech Republic |
28 | Chris | MacManus | GUE-NGL | Ireland |
29 | Marisa | Matias | GUE/NGL | Portugal |
30 | Sara | Matthieu | Greens- EFA | Belgium |
31 | Tilly | Metz | Greens- EFA | Luxembourg |
32 | Silvia | Modig | GUE-NGL | Finland |
33 | Jutta | Paulus | Greens- EFA | Germany |
34 | Piernicola | Pedicini | Greens- EFA | Italy |
35 | Kira Marie | Peter-Hansen | Greens- EFA | Denmark |
36 | Clara | Ponsatí | NI | Spain |
37 | Carles | Puigdemont | NI | Spain |
38 | Diana | Riba | Greens- EFA | Spain |
39 | Michèle | Rivasi | Greens- EFA | France |
40 | Caroline | Roose | Greens- EFA | France |
41 | Mounir | Satouri | Greens- EFA | France |
42 | Ivan Vilibor | Sinčić | NI | Croatia |
43 | Jordi | Solé | Greens- EFA | Spain |
44 | Marie | Toussaint | Greens- EFA | France |
45 | Miguel | Urban | GUE/NGL | Spain |
46 | Johan | Van Overtveldt | ECR | Belgium |
47 | Nikolaj | Villumsen | GUE-NGL | Denmark |
48 | Mick | Wallace | GUE-NGL | Ireland |
49 | Salima | Yenbou | Greens- EFA | France |
50 | Tatjana | Ždanoka | Greens- EFA | Latvia |
Members of national Parliaments
51 | Chris | Andrews | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
52 | Lynn | Boylan | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
53 | John | Brady | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
54 | Martin | Browne | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
55 | Pat | Buckley | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
56 | Matt | Carthy | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
57 | Sorca | Clarke | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
58 | Rose | Conway-Walsh | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
59 | Réada | Cronin | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
60 | Seán | Crowe | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
61 | David | Cullinane | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
62 | Pa | Daly | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
63 | Pearse | Doherty | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
64 | Paul | Donnelly | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
65 | Dessie | Ellis | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
66 | Mairéad | Farrell | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
67 | Kathleen | Funchion | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
68 | Thomas | Gould | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
69 | Johnny | Guirke | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
70 | Martin | Kenny | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
71 | Claire | Kerrane | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
72 | Pádraig | Mac Lochlainn | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
73 | Mary Lou | McDonald | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
74 | Denise | Mitchell | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
75 | Imelda | Munster | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
76 | Johnny | Mythen | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
77 | Eoin | Ó Broin | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
78 | Donnchadh | Ó Laoghaire | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
79 | Ruairí | Ó Murchú | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
80 | Aengus | Ó Snodaigh | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
81 | Louise | O’Reilly | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
82 | Darren | O’Rourke | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
83 | Thomas | Pringle | Independent | Ireland |
84 | Maurice | Quinlivan | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
85 | Patricia | Ryan | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
86 | Brian | Stanley | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
87 | Pauline | Tully | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
88 | Mark | Ward | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
89 | Violet-Anne | Wynne | Sinn Fein | Ireland |
90 | Órfhlaith | Begley | Sinn Fein | UK |
91 | Tony | Berkeley | Labour | UK |
92 | Mickey | Brady | Sinn Fein | UK |
93 | Amy | Callaghan | SNP | UK |
94 | Sarah | Champion | Labour | UK |
95 | Douglas | Chapman | SNP | UK |
96 | Ronnie | Cowan | SNP | UK |
97 | Allan | Dorans | SNP | UK |
98 | Margaret | Ferrier | Independent | UK |
99 | John | Finucane | Sinn Fein | UK |
100 | Patricia | Gibson | SNP | UK |
101 | Michelle | Gildernew | Sinn Fein | UK |
102 | Neale | Hanvey | SNP | UK |
103 | Chris | Hazzard | Sinn Fein | UK |
104 | Drew | Hendry | SNP | UK |
105 | Gloria | Hooper | Conservative Party | UK |
106 | Ben | Lake | Plaid Cymru | UK |
107 | Pauline | Latham | Conservative Party | UK |
108 | Caroline | Lucas | Green Party | UK |
109 | Kenny | MacAskill | SNP | UK |
110 | Paul | Maskey | Sinn Fein | UK |
111 | Anne | McLaughlin | SNP | UK |
112 | John | McNally | SNP | UK |
113 | Francie | Molloy | Sinn Fein | UK |
114 | Gavin | Newlands | SNP | UK |
115 | Liz | Saville Roberts | Plaid Cymru | UK |
116 | Tommy | Sheppard | SNP | UK |
117 | Allison | Thewliss | SNP | UK |
118 | Philippa | Whitford | SNP | UK |
119 | Hywel | Williams | Plaid Cymru | UK |
120 | Jean-Félix | Acquaviva | Libertés et Territoires | France |
121 | Guy | Benarroche | Libertés et Territoires | France |
122 | Esther | Benbassa | Libertés et Territoires | France |
123 | Michel | Castellani | Libertés et Territoires | France |
124 | Annie | Chapelier | Agir ensemble | France |
125 | Paul-André | Colombani | Libertés et Territoires | France |
126 | Éric | Coquerel | La France Insoumise | France |
127 | Monique | de Marco | Libertés et Territoires | France |
128 | Jennifer | de Temmerman | Libertés et Territoires | France |
129 | Thomas | Dossus | Libertés et Territoires | France |
130 | Frédérique | Dumas | Libertés et Territoires | France |
131 | Elsa | Faucillon | Gauche démocrate et républicaine | France |
132 | Guillaume | Gontard | Libertés et Territoires | France |
133 | Yannick | Kerlogot | La République En Marche | France |
134 | François-Michel | Lambert | Libertés et Territoires | France |
135 | Jean | Lassalle | Libertés et Territoires | France |
136 | Paul | Molac | Libertés et Territoires | France |
137 | Sebastien | Nadot | Libertés et Territoires | France |
138 | Bertrand | Pancher | Libertés et Territoires | France |
139 | Raymonde | Poncet | Ecologie, Solidarité et Territoires | France |
140 | Muriel | Ressiguier | La France Insoumise | France |
141 | Daniel | Salmon | Libertés et Territoires | France |
142 | Paul | Toussaint Parigi | Libertés et Territoires | France |
143 | Martine | Wonner | Libertés et Territoires | France |
144 | Oudekki | Loone | Estonian Centre Party | Estonia |
145 | Peter | Buysrogge | NVA | Belgium |
146 | Peter | De Roover | NVA | Belgium |
147 | Sophie | De Wit | NVA | Belgium |
148 | Mark | Demesmaeker | NVA | Belgium |
149 | Kathleen | Depoorter | NVA | Belgium |
150 | Joy | Donné | NVA | Belgium |
151 | Theo | Francken | NVA | Belgium |
152 | Sander | Loones | NVA | Belgium |
153 | Wouter | Raskin | NVA | Belgium |
154 | Anneleen | Van Bossuy | NVA | Belgium |
155 | Wim | Van Der Donck | NVA | Belgium |
156 | Kristof | Calvo | Groen | Belgium |
157 | Barbara | Creemers | Groen | Belgium |
158 | Samuel | Cogolati | Ecolo | Belgium |
159 | Wouter | De Vriendt | Groen | Belgium |
160 | Eva | Platteau | Groen | Belgium |
161 | Dieter | Van Besein | Groen | Belgium |
162 | Stefaan | Van Hecke | Groen | Belgium |
163 | Evita | Willaert | Groen | Belgium |
164 | Charles | Margue | Déi Gréng | Luxembourg |
165 | Marc | Baum | Déi Lenk | Luxembourg |
166 | David | Wagner | Déi Lenk | Luxembourg |
167 | Stéphanie | Empain | Déi Gréng | Luxembourg |
168 | Albert | Lanièce | Union Valdotaine | Italy |
169 | Andrej | Hunko | Die Linke | Germany |
170 | Żaklin | Nastić | Die Linke | Germany |
171 | Diether | Dehm | Die Linke | Germany |
172 | Miguel | Costa Matos | Partido Socialista | Portugal |
173 | José Maria | Cardoso | Bloco de Esquerda | Portugal |
174 | Fabíola | Cardoso | Bloco de Esquerda | Portugal |
175 | Sandra | Cunha | Bloco de Esquerda | Portugal |
176 | Catarina | Martins | Bloco de Esquerda | Portugal |
177 | Luís | Monteiro | Bloco de Esquerda | Portugal |
178 | Isabel | Pires | Bloco de Esquerda | Portugal |
179 | José Manuel | Pureza | Bloco de Esquerda | Portugal |
180 | Ascenso | Simões | Partido Socialista | Portugal |
181 | João | Vasconcelos | Bloco de Esquerda | Portugal |
182 | Alexandra | Vieira | Bloco de Esquerda | Portugal |
183 | Mikko | Kärnä | Center Party | Finland |
184 | Jiří | Dolejš | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | Czech Republic |
185 | Stanislav | Grospič | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | Czech Republic |
186 | Pavel | Kováčik | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | Czech Republic |
187 | Leo | Luzar | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | Czech Republic |
188 | Kveta | Matušovská | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | Czech Republic |
189 | Zdeněk | Ondráček | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | Czech Republic |
190 | Daniel | Pawlas | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | Czech Republic |
191 | Marie | Pěnčíková | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | Czech Republic |
192 | Ivo | Pojezný | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | Czech Republic |
193 | Jiří | Valenta | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | Czech Republic |
194 | Miloslava | Vostrá | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | Czech Republic |
195 | Juan | Cárdenas | Movimiento Revolución Ciudadana | Ecuador |
196 | Esther | Cuesta | Movimiento Revolución Ciudadana | Ecuador |
197 | Liliana | Durán | Movimiento Revolución Ciudadana | Ecuador |
198 | Diego | García | Movimiento Revolución Ciudadana | Ecuador |
199 | Gabriela | Rivadeneira | Movimiento Revolución Ciudadana | Ecuador |
200 | Carmen | Rivadeneira | Movimiento Revolución Ciudadana | Ecuador |
201 | Alejandro | Navarro Brain | País Progresista | Chile |
202 | Nidia | Diaz | FMNL | El Salvador |
203 | Daniel | Caggiani | Frente Amplio | Uruguay |
204 | Lauro | Melendez | Frente Amplio | Uruguay |
205 | Hişyar | Özsoy | HDP | Turkey |
206 | Pervin | Buldan | HDP | Turkey |
207 | Mithat | Sancar | HDP | Turkey |
208 | Nimetullah | Erdoğmuş | HDP | Turkey |
209 | Feleknas | Uca | HDP | Turkey |
210 | Saruhan | Oluç | HDP | Turkey |
211 | Meral Danış | Beştaş | HDP | Turkey |
212 | Ebru | Günay | HDP | Turkey |
213 | Tülay Hatimoğulları | Oruç | HDP | Turkey |
214 | Serpil | Kemalbay | HDP | Turkey |
215 | Berdan | Öztürk | HDP | Turkey |
216 | Ayşe Acar | Başaran | HDP | Turkey |
217 | Gülistan | Kılıç Koçyiğit | HDP | Turkey |
218 | Salihe | Aydeniz | HDP | Turkey |
219 | Xavier | Barsalou-Duval | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
220 | Mario | Beaulieu | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
221 | Stéphane | Bergeron | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
222 | Sylvie | Bérubé | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
223 | Yves-François | Blanchet | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
224 | Maxime | Blanchette-Joncas | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
225 | Michel | Boudrias, | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
226 | Alexis | Brunelle-Duceppe | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
227 | Louise | Chabot | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
228 | Martin | Champoux | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
229 | Louise | Charbonneau | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
230 | Claude | DeBellefeuille | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
231 | Caroline | Desbiens | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
232 | Luc | Desilets | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
233 | Rhéal Éloi | Fortin | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
234 | Marie-Hélène | Gaudreau | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
235 | Marilène | Gill | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
236 | Andréanne | Larouche | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
237 | Sébastien | Lemire | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
238 | Simon | Marcil | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
239 | Kristina | Michaud | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
240 | Christine | Normandin | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
241 | Monique | Pauzé | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
242 | Yves | Perron | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
243 | Louise | Plamondon | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
244 | Simon-Pierre | Savard-Tremblay | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
245 | Mario | Simard | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
246 | Gabriel | Ste-Marie | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
247 | Luc | Thériault | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
248 | Alain | Therrien | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
249 | Denis | Trudel | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
250 | Julie | Vignola | Bloc Québécois | Canada |
251 | Rósa | Björk Brynjólfsdóttir | Left Green Movement | Iceland |
Further signatories
Martina | Anderson | Sinn Fein | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
Caoimhe | Archibald | Sinn Fein | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
Cathal | Boylan | Sinn Fein | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
Nicola | Brogan | Sinn Fein | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
Linda | Dillon | Sinn Fein | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
Jemma | Dolan | Sinn Fein | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
Sinéad | Ennis | Sinn Fein | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
Órlaithí | Flynn | Sinn Fein | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
Colm | Gildernew | Sinn Fein | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
Deirdre | Hargey | Sinn Fein | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
Declan | Kearney | Sinn Fein | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
Gerry | Kelly | Sinn Fein | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
Liz | Kimmins | Sinn Fein | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
Seán | Lynch | Sinn Fein | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
Declan | McAleer | Sinn Fein | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
Fra | McCann | Sinn Fein | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
Philip | McGuigan | Sinn Fein | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
Maolíosa | McHugh | Sinn Fein | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
Karen | Mullan | Sinn Fein | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
Conor | Murphy | Sinn Fein | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
Carál | Ní Chuilín | Sinn Fein | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
John | O’Dowd | Sinn Fein | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
Michelle | O’Neill | Sinn Fein | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
Emma | Rogan | Sinn Fein | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
Pat | Sheehan | Sinn Fein | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
Emma | Sheerin | Sinn Fein | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
Allessia | Claes | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Arnout | Coel | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Cathy | Coudyser | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Piet, | De Bruyn | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Inez | De Coninck | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Annick | De Ridder | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Maarten | De Veuster | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Maaike | De Vreese | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Bart | De Wever | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Karolien | Grosemans | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Andries | Gryffroy | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Sofie | Joosen | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Kathleen | Krekels | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Bert | Maertens | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Marius | Meremans | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Philippe | Muyters | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Joris | Nachtergaele | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Lorin | Parys | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Axel | Ronse | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Elke | Sleurs | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Sarah | Smeyers | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Nadia | Sminate | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Annabel | Tavernier | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Cieltje | Van Achter | NVA | Member of the Brussels Parliament |
Kris | Van Dijck | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Paul | Van Miert | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Wilfried | Vandaele | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Mathias | Vanden Borre | NVA | Member of the Brussels Parliament |
Karl | Vanlouwe | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Katja | Verheyen | NVA | Member of the Flemish Parliament |
Gilles | Verstraeten | NVA | Member of the Brussels Parliament |
Joël | Arsenau | Parti Québécois | Member of the Quebec Assembly |
Pascal | Bérubé | Parti Québécois | Member of the Quebec Assembly |
Sylvain | Gaudreault | Parti Québécois | Member of the Quebec Assembly |
Véronique | Hivon | Parti Québécois | Member of the Quebec Assembly |
Martina | Ouellet | Parti Québécois | Member of the Quebec Assembly |
Méganne | Perry Mélançon | Parti Québécois | Member of the Quebec Assembly |
Lorraine | Richard | Parti Québécois | Member of the Quebec Assembly |
Sylvain | Roy | Parti Québécois | Member of the Quebec Assembly |
Sylvain | Levesque | Coalition Avenir Quebec | Member of the Quebec Assembly |
Catherine | Dorion | Québec solidaire | Member of the Quebec Assembly |
Andrés | Fontecilla | Québec solidaire | Member of the Quebec Assembly |
Ruba | Ghazal | Québec solidaire | Member of the Quebec Assembly |
Christine | Labrie | Québec solidaire | Member of the Quebec Assembly |
Alexandre | Leduc | Québec solidaire | Member of the Quebec Assembly |
Émilise | Lessard-Therrien | Québec solidaire | Member of the Quebec Assembly |
Vincent | Marissal | Québec solidaire | Member of the Quebec Assembly |
Manon | Massé | Québec solidaire | Member of the Quebec Assembly |
Gabriel | Nadeau-Dubois | Québec solidaire | Member of the Quebec Assembly |
Sol | Zanetti | Québec solidaire | Member of the Quebec Assembly |