Catalan regional govt defends right to self determination despite court sentence - Quim Torra
Record ID:
1436856
Catalan regional govt defends right to self determination despite court sentence - Quim Torra
- Title: Catalan regional govt defends right to self determination despite court sentence - Quim Torra
- Date: 15th October 2019
- Summary: BARCELONA, SPAIN (OCTOBER 15, 2019) (REUTERS) CATALAN REGIONAL LEADER QUIM TORRA ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE WITH CATALONIA'S REGIONAL COUNCILLOR FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS ALFRED BOSCH (SOUNDBITE) (English) CATALAN REGIONAL LEADER QUIM TORRA SAYING: "For us the best way is to continue defending the right of Catalonia to self-determination. This is what now is the key thing and to defend. To be the government of Catalonia in the front of the defence of the rights that now after these sentences have limited or prohibited, you know? Many rights that we thought that were guaranteed, now are in doubt after these sentences and we have to, again, resist against these limitations." VARIOUS OF TORRA AND BOSCH AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) CATALONIA'S REGIONAL COUNCILLOR FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS ALFRED BOSCH SAYING: "We need a referendum which can be validated by the international community and can offer us a mandate. That is what we are asking for. And the way to obtain that is by talking with the Spanish government like was done with Scotland. The referendum for independence of Scotland didn't pose an enormous conflict comparable to what is happening here. Nobody was put in jail, nobody was sent into exile, etc. Nobody was hit in the head for voting." TORRA AND BOSCH AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CATALAN REGIONAL LEADER QUIM TORRA SAYING: "If in any case there is any excess beyond the assigned protocols for the Mossos D'Esquadra (Catalan police), investigations that need to be carried out will be carried out regardless of the consequences, obviously. But, I insist we have to work on two carriage ways. On the one hand we must guarantee the right to protest, with mediation and proportionality and with all the security measures set out by the ombudsman, and, on the other hand, we must guarantee security in general." TORRA AND BOSCH AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) CATALAN REGIONAL LEADER QUIM TORRA SAYING: "We call for an end to repression (by the Spanish state), for the release of the political prisoners, for the exiles to be free to return home, for amnesty that should mark and end point for all of those who have suffered reprisals. Dialogue, voting and freedom are always the path for resolving conflicts." TORRA AND BOSCH AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) CATALAN REGIONAL LEADER QUIM TORRA SAYING: "Again, I repeat, the Spanish Supreme Court condemns peaceful and democratic people who have never committed any crime. The pretended indictable facts do not justify the crimes of sedition, embezzlement or disobedience. The verdict casts serious doubts on the most fundamental rights of any democratic system: assembly, expression, demonstration, association, thought, ideology, etc." TORRA AND BOSCH AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) CATALAN REGIONAL LEADER QUIM TORRA SAYING: "Regarding the second question, this government is absolutely committed to, from one side, protecting the right of the people to demonstration, to protest, and, from the other side, the right of the people to be secure." TORRA AND BOSCH AT NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 29th October 2019 11:01
- Keywords: Quim Torra jailing of separatist leaders Catalan separatist leaders conviction Spain Catalonia
- Location: BARCELONA, SPAIN
- City: BARCELONA, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001B17K8QV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Catalan regional leader Quim Torra said on Tuesday (October 15) his government would continue to defend Catalonia's right to self determination, a day after Spain's Supreme Court jailed nine separatist leaders for their role in a 2017 independence bid.
Speaking at a news conference for international media, Torra said Monday's verdict limited various rights that were previously thought to be guaranteed.
The announcement of the Supreme Court ruling on Monday (October 14) triggered protests throughout the region.
Barcelona's international airport became a focal point of the protests as thousands of demonstrators blocked access roads and clashed with police who responded with batons and fired foam balls to prevent the protesters from entering the terminal building. Over 100 flights were cancelled, airport authorities said.
Torra said his government was committed to protecting the public's right to demonstrate and at the same time maintain overall security.
Independence groups have announced they will stage a series of protests until the separatist prisoners are released.
The strength of the protests could be the first indication of how the future looks for the independence struggle, which has so far been largely peaceful.
(Production: Miguel Pereira, Catherine Macdonald) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None