Spain's National Court upholds terrorism charges in Tsunami Democràtic probe

Spain's National Court has rejected an appeal by the public prosecutor challenging the charges of terrorism against those under investigation in the Tsunami Democràtic case. 

With this ruling, the court upholds the terrorism charges against individuals linked to the actions of the Catalan pro-independence activist group, which organized large-scale protests following the imprisonment of pro-independence leaders in October 2019. 

In their appeal, the public prosecutor argues that the events merely constitute offenses of public disorder, thus advocating for the case to be transferred to a Catalan ordinary court rather than remaining within the jurisdiction of the National Court. 

However, the National Court uses the arguments of the Supreme Court decision in which it took over the terrorism investigation against the former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont and the MP Rubén Wagensberg. 

The ruling stresses that the National Court is responsible for trying cases "for crimes committed by individuals integrated into armed groups or linked to terrorist or rebel elements."

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."