Sinn Féin spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Defence, John Brady TD, spoke out today in support of calls for an amnesty for civic and political Catalonian leaders.

The leaders have been imprisoned alongside human rights defenders for their role in events surrounding the 2017 referendum on Catalonian Independence.

Teachta Brady Said:

“The introduction of an amnesty would represent an important first step towards developing a solution to the conflict between Catalonia and Spain.

“The jailing of political leaders and civic leaders alongside human rights defenders represents a heavy-handed and unwarranted approach by the Spanish authorities. 

“We have also witnessed the prosecution of leading police authorities, who were previously commended for their role in dealing with the terrorist attacks in Barcelona, under the charge of sedition. 

“Some of those prosecuted have received sentences between nine and thirteen years. At least seven Catalonian politicians have been forced into exile. 

“Organisations such as Amnesty International, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and several UN Special Rapporteurs, have agreed that individuals such as Jordi Cuixart, President of a Barcelona based NGO, were simply exercising their right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.

“I join with these organisations in calling for the immediate release of Jordi Cuixart, and the introduction of a general amnesty for those who were involved in the organisation of rally’s in support of and the referendum itself.”