Speaking with the Catalan News Agency during a recent visit to Barcelona, Rudhramoorthy believes that “nobody has the right to decide” on rights, freedoms and Catalan identity.  He believes the trial of the independence leaders, which ultimately saw nine politicians and civic leaders sentenced to prison terms of 9-13 years, was an “attack on freedom of expression.”

“The way the Spanish government and Supreme Court has interpreted the legislature, in my opinion, is fundamentally problematic,” he said. The poet believes that the Amnesty International report on the verdict “is a very clear legal statement about why it is wrong.” In addition, Rudhramoorthy believes that Catalonia “has every right to demand equality, justice and autonomy.” “Nobody has the right to say no, that you are not a nation and we will not give you autonomy and self-determination,” he affirmed.

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