THE trial that is currently taking place in the Spanish Supreme Court against the leaders of the Catalan independence movement has much more to do with an act of faith than with a 21st-century trial in a developed, democratic country in which citizens’ rights are respected.

In a performance more properly belonging to the 16th century, the court ignores pieces of evidence when taking testimony, claiming that all documentary evidence will be seen at once at a later date. Witnesses to the prosecution may make contested statements but the defence is prevented from contrasting these statements with documents, videos, and other media relevant in our times. Only after two or three months will images that could demonstrates falsehoods from the witnesses be allowed to be shown.

So, will the court open proceedings against the false witnesses then? Perhaps in a reality parallel to that of the Spanish state; in the current framework, surely not. It is clear that the trial is not about laws, regulations and infringements. Behind the figures of the magistrates there is a whole state that wants to crush any fundamental dissidence, that is to say, that questions the post-Franco regime, born after the dictator’s death.

Above all, however, there is the state itself, which was unable to find a single one of the more than 6000 ballot boxes that Catalan citizens brought into the country. A state mocked by the citizens in the use of its capacity for self-organisation, a fundamental fact for understanding the vote on the day of the referendum in spite of brutal repression. Lacking intelligence, Spain, vindictive and despot, turns the reason of (Francoist) state into norm and guide. Today it falls upon the independentists, but soon, democracy in Spain will be nothing more than a hologram to look good before the international community.

Manuel Perez Nespereira
Barcelona

I WISH to state, publicly and without shame, that I am a complete unionist.

Having always been in favour of strong trades unions in the work place, wishing to remain in the European Union, and being completely supportive of the United Nations and its offshoots such as UNCTAD, UNCSTD and Unesco (the last of which both the UK and USA are not members of), I claim to be a better exemplar of unionism than the suddron flunkies that claim it for themselves.

In fact I would be all for the UK if it were really a union of equal, sovereign countries, each parliament having equal powers and rights, and not a colonial (and in some ways feudal) relationship, based on the shredded remains of a Treaty of Union which the same flunkies rejoice in flaunting. They must know it is based on continual cheating, bullying and political manipulation: Brexit being just the latest version of this behaviour.

Iain WD Forde
Scotlandwell

A WID like to add to Janet Cunningham’s letter (March 28) re: hidin The National. Wan day a wis in wan o the major 24 hour stores in the Auld Grey Toun lookin fir ma copy. This store has got a murder record as some Unionist is aye hidin it under the rid taps that favour Westminster tellin us whit tae think. A young lass wis lookin at the magazines nearby when a wis huntin through aw the said rid tap piles, fir The National wis naewhere tae be seen.

Eventually A fund them, buried under wan o the Glesca papers. A hid already recognised the lass tae ma side, so A made a bit o a sang an dance pointin oot tae her whit wis happenin in this store!!

It wis Cara Hilton, ex-MSP fir the toun. A made shair she kent that Unionists are sae feart o a wee newspaper , that they tak tae hidin them and A showed her whaur they were hidden. Nae reaction wis forthcomin an she walked aff.

A then went tae the security laddie sittin at his monitor an tellt him an aw that he should be lookin oot fir these folk! He hid nae idea that folk were daein sic a thing day in an day oot. He kens noo!!

Wullie Oliphant
Dalgety Bay, Fife

COUNCILLOR Andy Doug correctly points out that a hard border between Scotland and England is undesirable (Letters, March 28). We have ties that bind. Family in particular across the four nations of the United Kingdom. But is it United? England voted to leave EU and so they should. Scotland wish to remain and so they should. Surely, nobody could disagree?

It is far easier to organise a friendly border. Unlike the Northern Ireland situation. Nobody would want that. So, any talk of antagonism is unnecessary and inflammatory.

We in Scotland must respect that it is England that wishes to leave EU. That is outwith Scotland’s gift to change, however much we might like to. That political decision by England to leave the EU need not have any effect on the social ties that bind the two nations.

It is simply different politics between two friends. England should leave the EU as per their referendum and we in Scotland should remain.

David Campbell
via email