Prosecutors reject application of amnesty law for Catalan separatists

(Patria) - Spanish prosecutors in charge of the case of about 500 officials and activists involved in the Catalan independence movement from 2011 have rejected the application of the Amnesty Law introduced by the minority government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in exchange for the support of separatist politicians in parliament, reports Spanish Efe.

The Spanish Prosecutor's Office has estimated that there are currently 82 criminal proceedings underway against 486 individuals to whom the amnesty law may apply, including the leader of the Together for Catalonia party, Carles Puigdemont.

Supreme Court prosecutors, in charge of Puigdemont's case, have estimated that the amnesty law does not cover his case, despite the order of the state prosecutor Álvaro García Ortiz to apply it.

These are different legal interpretations, which is why Ortiz called 38 of Spain's top prosecutors to a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the law that has come into effect.

Prosecutors will have to respect his decision after that meeting or recuse themselves from the case.

The Spanish Congress passed a law on May 30th approving amnesty for Catalan separatists, which was a condition for the Catalan parties Together for Catalonia (Junts) and Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) to support the second term of Spanish Prime Minister Sánchez.

Sánchez claimed that the amnesty would bring reconciliation with Catalonia after an illegal referendum on the unilateral declaration of independence was held in the Spanish region, which caused the biggest political crisis in Spain in more than 30 years.

Sánchez's Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) won the regional elections in Catalonia held on May 12th, causing separatists to lose their long-standing majority in the regional parliament based in Barcelona.