In his article (Spain’s abuses in Catalonia violate EU law, 22 September) the Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, includes a number of accusations that are simply untrue. He affirms that the Spanish government is violating European values and civil rights by sending the police to “imprison democratically elected politicians”, among other activities. He mentions specifically the searches and arrests of the “paramilitary police” which took place on 20 September, and considers that they have driven Catalonia “to a de facto state of emergency” violating “the European charter of fundamental rights”.
The government did not send the police to those regional government buildings, offices and private homes. It was a judge in Barcelona who ordered the police operation, a judge who acts in accordance with the principle of separation of powers, as happens in every other modern democracy. Moreover, the judge has the backing of the constitutional court. The civil guard – which in no means is a paramilitary force – fulfilled its role of judicial police. As for the pretended state of emergency, the freely exercised freedom of demonstration shown in the streets of Barcelona clearly denies Puigdemont’s false accusation. No single civil right has been suspended.
He argues that “Catalan home rule has effectively been suspended”. Once again, this assertion is false. None of the legitimate activities of the Catalan government granted by its regional charter have been suspended. On the contrary, the Catalan government is not entitled to organise a secessionist referendum, as the constitutional court has stated. Therefore the rule of law is simply doing its work. Puigdemont says that Madrid has rejected all possibility of dialogue and the prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, has employed “aggressive tactics”. The government has attempted and is still offering dialogue. Puigdemont has been invited to express his ideas in parliament and has refused. But “dialogue” for him implies authorising a referendum which goes against Spain’s fundamental law.
Puigdemont says “all we want is to carry out the greatest expression of free democracy”, but his projected referendum – that will not take place – is rather the result of a process that repeals constitutional democracy and their own charter of self-government. The laws recently approved by the regional parliament failed to comply with their own rules and denied parliamentary rights of Catalan deputies. When a series of falsehoods are stated in this manner, it is our right and duty to respond. As Mahatma Gandhi reminded us: “Truth never damages a cause that is just”.