Amnesty law benefits 74 people in first month, 50 of them police officers

One month after coming into force, the amnesty law for those involved in the Catalan independence movement has fully benefited 74 people. 

Of these, 50 are police officers, including 46 from Spain's National Police and four from the Catalan police force, the Mossos d'Esquadra. 

The remaining beneficiaries include 20 pro-independence demonstrators and four individuals holding public office, according to figures from the Catalan News Agency (ACN).

Most of the amnesties have been granted in Barcelona, covering both police officers who attacked voters during the 2017 independence referendum and protesters. 

This number contrasts sharply with earlier forecasts. Spain's public prosecutor had estimated that 486 people would benefit from the law, while the pro-independence civil society organization Òmnium Cultural projected a figure of 1,616.

The reason for the unexpectedly low number of beneficiaries is that many individuals have only had some of their charges pardoned, while others are still awaiting a decision. 

The law allows a maximum of two months for its application to all individuals. However, many are likely to wait longer, as some courts have raised or plan to raise questions of constitutionality before Spain's Constitutional Court or the European Court of Justice, which will make the process of applying the amnesty law more lengthy.