HUMAN rights group Amnesty International has repeated its call for Catalan independence figures Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart to be pardoned and released from prison.
The “two Jordis”, as they have become known, are respectively leaders of the Catalan National Assembly (ANC) and Omnium Cultural civic groups, and were each sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment after being found guilty of sedition for their part in the 2017 Catalan independence referendum campaign.
Their appeals are currently being considered by Spain’s Constitutional Court (TC) while both have already been locked up for more than three years.
As Amnesty has said, this was “despite the fact that they should never have been imprisoned”.
It also expressed concern that the pair had seen the more relaxed “third-degree” prison regime removed and were now not allowed out of prison to work on a daily basis – or to meet their families outside prison.
READ MORE: Clara Ponsati: Why Scotland should be worried by the EU’s silence on Catalonia
The organisation has urged the TC to act “as soon as possible” and pardon both men and consider the reform or withdrawal of the crime of sedition.
And, while it was not the ideal solution, Esteban Beltran, its director in Spain, added: “Any measure which means putting an end to the injustice of this imprisonment will be welcomed by Amnesty International.”
He said the crime of sedition violated “the principle of legality”, was “loosely defined” and had been “widely interpreted by the Supreme Court”.
“This could open the door in the future to further criminalisation of acts directly related to the peaceful exercise of the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” said Beltran.
“The authorities must adopt all the measures in their power to advance towards the release of Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart.
“We hope that the Supreme Court will resolve as soon as possible the confirmation of the progression of diplomas authorised by the Catalan prison authorities, which would mean the application of a semi-liberty regime for Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart.”
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