Catalan separatists claim political rights violations

By Senhan Bolelli

MADRID

Former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont and five other separatist politicians are raising their cases with the UN Committee for Human Rights, alleging the “violation of their political rights” by Spain.

Puigdemont and other politicians -- who fled abroad -- held a joint press conference in Geneva, during which they said their political rights, as members of Catalonian parliament, were violated by Spain.

Meanwhile, a prosecutor of Spain’s Court of Auditors requested €8 million ($9 million) from Puigdemont and the other high level members of the Catalan government for using the public funds for their pro-independence referendum on Oct. 1, 2017, despite being declared illegal by the Constitutional Court.

The 55-year-old politician led a parliamentary session last year that saw separatist lawmakers vote for the region of Catalonia to declare independence from Spain.

He and 12 other separatist leaders were officially charged with rebellion.