Catalan political prisoners on hunger strike send letters to 40 European leaders

The four jailed pro-independence officials currently on a hunger strike – Jordi Sànchez, Jordi Turull, Josep Rull, and Joaquim Forn – sent 40 letters to the main European leaders. The text brings attention to the very reason they are fasting: a very serious situation of blockage of their case by Spain’s Constitutional Court.

The political prisoners began their hunger strike because they made various appeals to the Constitutional Court, and denounce that through “blocking” these appeals, the court is keeping them from taking their case to European entities such as the European Court of Human Rights. The text was sent to leaders such as the president of Spain, of the Council of Europe, of the European Parliament, and various European countries.

European Court of Human Rights

The attorney to the incarcerated officials, Jordi Pina, stated that the Spanish court has started to address parts of the unresolved issues from over a year ago once the hunger strike was started by his clients.

Among these, the Constitutional Court has ruled on maintaining the suspension of former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont and of the jailed officials as MPs, by rejecting an appeal on the matter.

Pina explained that he and his clients now intend to bring the case to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg to denounce this “blockage,” to be presented in the name of Jordi Sànchez, Josep Rull and Jordi Turull.

Developments since hunger strike began

One of the imprisoned officials on hunger strike – Jordi Turull – was transferred to the prison infirmary, on the 14^th day since he began the protest. Him and Jordi Sànchez are now on day 17 of the strike.

The doctor monitoring the protesters’ condition, Jaume Padrós, said “although [Sànchez and Turull] are still stable, the time passed and Turull’s individual situation makes it recommendable for him to be transferred to the infirmary of the Lledoners’ penitentiary center.”

Turull and Sánchez announced an “indefinite” hunger strike on December 1, with former ministers Joaquim Forn and Josep Rull joining them on December 3.

The officials were also temporarily joined in solidarity by various Catalan MPs for 24 hours, and the Catalan president for 48 hours. A Catalan mayor has also joined their strike indefinitely.

At a European level, the EU-Catalonia Dialogue Platform, including some 40 MEPs from 5 different political groups, have supported the Catalan pro-independence jailed leaders on hunger strike with a manifesto.