‘EU is not living up to what defenders of human rights expect of it,’ says MEP at UN

The Catalan member of the European Parliament Jordi Solé on Tuesday criticized the European Union's stance towards Catalonia, and warned that it "is not living up to what defenders of human rights expect of it." The MEP, from the Greens/EFA group, was speaking at the plenary session of the UN’s Council of Human Rights.

Solé denounced the "disproportionate violence" used by the Spanish police during the October 1 referendum. The MEP also claimed that Spain "is clearly violating" Catalonia's right to self-determination, as well as "freedom of assembly and speech." In addition, he was critical of the Spanish government's "authoritarian reaction" against Catalonia's push for independence.  

Solé was also the organizer of the two side events on Catalonia that were held in Geneva on Tuesday. According to the Catalan MEP, the two events aimed at "denouncing the democratic regression" in Spain. In addition, he insisted that it is important to use "any international event" to "call for respect for human rights, fundamental rights, and democracy."