Supreme Court Upholds Decision Against Amnesty for Catalan Leaders in Embezzlement Case
The Supreme Court has upheld the ruling made by investigating magistrate Pablo Llarena, rejecting the application of amnesty concerning the embezzlement charges against former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont and his former counselors Toni Comín and Lluís Puig. Judges Vicente Magro, Eduardo de Porres, and Susana Pola have dismissed the defense's appeal requests, stating that Llarena's decision aligns with the legislative intent as outlined in an informational note from the Chamber.
In July, magistrate Llarena initially declined to apply amnesty for the embezzlement charges against Puigdemont, Comín, and Puig. The defense teams appealed this decision, but Llarena reaffirmed his stance two months later in September. Subsequently, a new appeal was presented, which was publicly defended in a hearing on July 10.
During this hearing, deputy prosecutor Ángeles Sánchez Conde expressed her support for the approval of the appeals. However, she pointed out that Llarena had alleged that the accused engaged in personal enrichment by charging the public treasury for organizing the illegal referendum on October 1, 2017. This allegation has become a pivotal point in the case, reflecting the complexities surrounding issues of legality and self-governance in Catalonia.
As the legal proceedings continue, the implications of this ruling may reverberate throughout the landscape of Catalan politics and its ongoing struggle for greater autonomy. The rejection of the amnesty application signals a hardline approach by the judiciary towards cases stemming from the contentious independence referendum, and it remains to be seen how the defense will strategize moving forward in this highly charged political environment.
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