drets

The Catalan National Assembly (ANC), Òmnium Cultural, the Platform Pro Catalan Sports Selections and the group of jurists ‘Drets’ (‘Rights’) will distribute 30,000 Catalan pro-independence flags at the Champions League match between FC Barcelona and Celtic FC taking place this Tuesday at Camp Nou. The initiative comes after UEFA’s €30,000 fine of FC Barcelona for the displaying of these flags during the Champions League final in Berlin last year. According to the Union of European Football Associations, the fine was issued because it officially condemns in Article 16.2 of its Disciplinary Regulations "the use of gestures, words, objects or any other means to transmit any message that is not fit for a sports event, particularly messages that are of a political, ideological, religious, offensive or provocative nature". 

Josep Ramon Bosch, former president of controversial Spanish unity association ‘Societat Civil Catalana’ has been called to court accused of threatening pro-independence Catalan figures via a false Facebook profile.  Using the name "Fèlix de Sant Serní de Tavèrnoles", Bosch allegedly sent numerous offensive messages and called for a boycott of many Catalan firms. According to lawyers' group 'Drets' these "hate speech messages constitute threat and abuse crimes as laid down in articles 169, 170, 205, 208 and 209 of the criminal code". Bosch, who quit the presidency of 'Societat Civil Catalana' right after the 27-S Catalan elections, will have to appear before the court on the 20^th of January next, in Manresa.