The Exodus of the Independents
A new wave of Catalan independence supporters has chosen to seek refuge abroad due to the terrorism investigation carried out by the National Court against the Tsunami Democràtic platform.
Among the personalities who have emigrated are the deputy of ERC, Ruben Wagensberg, the activist of Òmnium, Oleguer Serra, the journalist Jesús Rodríguez and the businessman Josep Campmajó, who have established their residence in Switzerland.
This trend suggests that many of those investigated are choosing to leave their native country due to the risk of being prosecuted and convicted of terrorism, supposedly related to the Tsunami and the protests against the 1-O ruling.
An uncertain future
Although there are currently no arrest warrants for any of the exiles, this situation could change quickly, generating a feeling of uncertainty among those potentially investigated.
According to lawyer Benet Salellas, there is an atmosphere of insecurity in certain sectors of the Spanish judiciary, which could be willing to interpret the law broadly for political reasons, leading some people to opt for exile as a precautionary measure. .
A Strong Decision
The decision to leave Catalonia has not been taken lightly by activists, journalists and businessmen. Although there are currently no arrest warrants against any of those investigated, they are beginning to be summoned to testify.
Recently, the National Court asked those investigated who are not certified to provide their residence addresses within one day, in order to summon them to testify.
The case of Puigdemont and Wagensberg is in the hands of the Supreme Court due to their positions as MEP and deputy respectively, while Jesús Rodríguez, journalist from Sin Miedo, made the same decision at the end of 2023.
An International Fight
Beyond the fear of prison, Salellas has highlighted that exile is also a way to denounce at an international level the use of terrorism as a tool to silence political dissidence in Spain.
Those who leave Catalonia not only seek to protect themselves from accusations that they consider unfounded, but also want to expose to the world how Spanish justice operates.
Salellas affirms that they will use all institutional means to show how the fundamental rights of European citizens are being violated in Spain, and so far, the exile has shown that European countries have questioned the actions of the Spanish authorities.