European Court of Human Rights avoids taking position on amnesty bill

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled out taking a position on the amnesty for the Catalan independence movement before the bill is signed into law because it would be "interfering with a democratic process." 

"A judge can never take a position on a draft law because it would be interfering in a democratic process," the president of the court, Síofra O'Leary, said in a press conference on Thursday morning. 

The Strasbourg court has therefore refused to make a ruling on the amnesty law until it is approved. 

O'Leary did state, however, that the ECHR could – if it considers it appropriate – put more questions to the Spanish government once the bill becomes law.