Justice or Persecution?
Catalonia's claim for independence has reached the courts. Some of the leaders of this movement─including the presidents of the Assemblea Nacional Catalana and Òmnium Cultural, a majority of the Board of the Catalan Parliament and also members of the Catalan government─are in prison, on remand or in exile. An unusual set of events in Europe.
They have been accused of very serious, albeit uncommon, crimes such as sedition, which carries a prison sentence of up to ten years, or even revolt, carrying a 25-year sentence, with the only precedent in Spain being Antonio Tejero's coup attempt in 1981.
A TV3 team turns to experts on the subject, to examine the ramifications of accusations of sedition and revolt, that rarely surface within the democràtic context.
Was the demonstration held in front of the Department of Economy and Finance in Barcelona and drawing 40,000 participants, a peaceful protest, or was it a "mass uprising" with the aim of obstructing justice, as per the prosecutor's interpretation? Was supporting the October 1 referendum and proclaiming independence an act of civil disobedience which breached the constitution or a rebellious act? Is this a legal case against the independence process, or are the courts carrying out their work without regard to political considerations? Do the accused have any legal protection?
Drawing on the experience and perspective of judges, constitutional law professors, political scientists, Amnesty International, lawyers, and members of the Catalan Government, the documentary aims to shed some light on a conflict which is primarily unfolding in the courts.
