Jailed Catalan leaders request five international observers to attend their trial

The defense teams of jailed Catalan leaders have requested the attendance of five international observers to their trial, due to start in the coming weeks. They will face charges of rebellion for calling a referendum on independence despite Spain’s opposition.

Last December, a group of judicial and human rights experts, as well as professors throughout Spain, set up a platform called ‘International Trial Watch – Catalan Referendum case’ to supervise the trial against independence leaders.

The group warned that fundamental rights are being violated, including freedom of expression, assembly and the right to protest. The platform has also denounced the misuse of the pre-trial jail.

Members of the European Parliament have also pledged to attend the trial as international observers. The MEPs are members of the EU-Catalonia Dialogue Platform.

A group of Danish MPs also announced last November that they were looking into the possibility of attending the trial as international observers.

"If Catalan society calls on us, we will be there," said Pelle Dragsted, member of the Red–Green Alliance and the party's democratic affairs spokesman.