Pro-independence figures deny violence in terrorism court hearing over Tsunami Democràtic case

The judicial investigation into the actions of pro-independence protest group Tsunami Democràtic took another step forward on Wednesday. After four years of investigation into the case, statements were given to the judge.

The only defendant who appeared was secretary of the pro-independence political party Esquerra Republicana, Marta Molina, as the rest of the accused are in exile, have postponed their testimonies, or did not show up.

Molina told the judge that neither she nor the Tsunami Democràtic platform called for violence in the fall of 2019 during the protests against the verdict of the Spanish Supreme Court that condemned independence leaders to jail sentences of between 9-13 years.

She explained that she became aware of the calls for protests through the media and that she did not consider them to be violent calls, but rather acts of civil and peaceful disobedience.
 

The statement was made via videoconference and lasted only 5 minutes, after which the judge in the case released the ERC figurehead. The judge also did not rule on the defendants who did not attend the summons.

Marina Roig, Marta Molina's lawyer spoke to the press following the hearing. She explained that Molina told the judge the protests were “a call for nonviolence, civil disobedience, and the peaceful gathering of citizens. She defended that it was not a violent movement, much less a terrorist one.”

General secretary of ERC, Marta Rovira, is also among the accused. 

Tsunami Democràtic investigation

Judge Manuel García-Castellón is investigating the actions of Tsunami Democràtic, a Catalan pro-independence activist group responsible for organizing massive demonstrations after the Catalan pro-independence movement leaders were sent to prison in October 2019. 

The judge is seeking terrorism charges against the organizers, including former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont and Marta Rovira, considering Tsunami Democràtic a "structured and hierarchical organization" with the aim of "subverting Spain's constitutional order and destabilizing the state economically and politically through massive social protests."

The case is open for several crimes, including terrorism, also for the injuries of two national police officers during a demonstrations and the death of a French tourist during the mobilization at El Prat airport, all in October 2019,  after the veridict that condemned in jail pro-independence leaders.

However, the case could be affected by the passage of the amnesty bill in a few days, May 30.

Amnesty International defends protests

Human Rights NGO Amnesty International has defended protests organized by the pro-independence group Tsunami Democràtic, saying they do not constitute any act of terrorism.

Amnesty's statement comes on the morning several pro-independence figures have been summoned to testify as parties investigated for terrorism in the Tsunami Democràtic case. 

The statement says that terrorism charges "restrict freedom of expression and unduly punish civil disobedience."

In addition, the organization has called for the immediate withdrawal of the terrorism charges against all individuals, stating that the facts investigated do not meet international standards to be considered terrorism.

Moreover, the NGO wants the Spanish Congress to take advantage of the current process of reforming the Criminal Code to ensure that only acts that meet the United Nations definition are classified as terrorism.