Occitanie calls for release of 'political prisoners'

The council of the Occitanie region of France has passed a resolution expressing "concern" about the situation of the Catalan "political prisoners" now on trial in Spain's Supreme Court, and calls on the Spanish authorities to release them.

The resolution, which passed thanks to the votes of leftwing groups, says the Catalan independence leaders are being tried for their opinions in "the legitimate exercise of carrying out the mandate conferred on them by those who voted for them."

The motion also refers to Catalan leaders abroad, who it says "were forced into exile," and it rejects the offense of rebellion with which the leaders are charged, as it "implies recourse to violence" while non-violence was a principle of both the leaders and the Catalan people.