Jordi Sànchez won't take his case to human rights court

The defense of the jailed pro-independence leader Jordi Sànchez ruled out the possibility of taking the Catalan leader's case to the European Court of Human Rights –at least for now. Yet Sànchez will appeal the judge’s decision against his presidential candidacy in Spain’s Supreme Court.

This move came after his defense announced on Friday that they would take Spain’s Supreme Court to the European Court of Human Rights on Monday for denying him the permission to attend parliament in order to be sworn in as Catalan president.

Spanish Supreme Court rejected Sànchez's request

The Spanish Supreme Court rejected on Friday afternoon a request by Jordi Sànchez, a jailed pro-independence activist and MP for Junts per Catalunya candidacy, for temporary permission to leave prison and be sworn in as Catalan president. The judge argues "risk of repeated offence" for his decision.

The investiture debate postponed until the ECHR rules on Sànchez's appeal

The parliament was expected to meet on Monday for Sànchez’s investiture debate. Yet the Catalan parliament speaker Roger Torrent decided to postpone Jordi Sànchez's swearing-in as president until the international court rules on Sànchez's appeal.

Sànchez was the presidential candidate put forward by the main pro-independence parties in Catalonia after failing to reelect Carles Puigdemont as head of the government. Sànchez's candidacy was proposed by Puigdemont after he gave up plans to reclaim the office.

Sànchez faces charges of rebellion and sedition

Sànchez faces criminal charges of rebellion for his role in the political roadmap that led to a declaration of independence last October. He has been in prison for almost five months while awaiting trial.

The imprisonment of Sànchez, as well as that of three other Catalan leaders, has been described by Amnesty International as "disproportionate." In an interview with Catalan News, the organization's director for Europe said that the imprisonment of civil society leaders "sends a very scary message."