UNPO, together with the Catalan National Assembly (ANC), submitted a joint report to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, addressing significant concerns regarding the respect for the rule of law and human rights protections for the Catalan people. This submission forms part of the fourth Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the Kingdom of Spain, scheduled for 2025.
In the report, the UNPO and ANC highlight systemic issues, including a lack of judicial independence and pervasive politicization within Spain’s judiciary, which undermine the rights to a fair trial and equality. Despite the enactment of the Amnesty Law in May, Spanish judges continue to interpret and apply it inconsistently, often using what the report describes as “a distorted interpretation of the legislation.” Additionally, evidence indicates that “official internal communication channels of the Spanish Judiciary Authority were used to instruct Spanish judges on how to obstruct its implementation,” further complicating the Amnesty Law’s intended application. While the law expressly excludes cases of torture, inhumane, and degrading treatment, it has nevertheless been applied to 51 Spanish policemen accused of excessive force against peaceful Catalan demonstrators during the 2017 independence referendum.
Download the UPR Submission here.
Read more about the join report in ANC’s official website.
