Request for postponement of statements
Gonzalo Boye, Josep Lluís Alay’s lawyer, has asked Judge Manuel García-Castellón to postpone the statements of those investigated by Tsunami Democràtic, which were scheduled for May 22. The reason behind this request is that the lawyer has a trial scheduled for that same day and cannot attend the interrogations of the defendants. The judge of the National Court has the power to change the date of the interrogations if one of the parties requests it, so there should be no problems in this case.
Gaining time with postponement
The 10 investigated for terrorism in the National Court benefit from this postponement, since the final approval of the amnesty law in the Congress of Deputies is scheduled for May 30. Defense lawyers argue that this law should archive the Tsunami case, since it is related to the causes of the Procés. However, the final decision rests with the judge.
Criticism of Judge García-Castellón
The head of the central investigative court 6 of the National Court has been criticized by pro-independence parties and entities. He is accused of trying to hinder the agreements between the PSOE, Junts and ERC to approve the law of criminal oblivion of all the causes of the Procés. One of the questioned actions is the indictment of 12 people for the crime of terrorism in the Tsunami case, including the president in exile Carles Puigdemont and the general secretary of ERC, Marta Rovira. This accusation was made after having the Tsunami cause dormant since 2019.
Statements by videoconference
The Prosecutor’s Office does not consider the Tsunami mobilizations as terrorism, but rather as public disorders. However, popular accusations from Vox, Dignidad y Justicia, and Catalan Civil Society have helped the magistrate to pursue the terrorism case. Furthermore, the Supreme Court has agreed to investigate Puigdemont and Ruben Wagensberg, who has revalidated his seat, for their capacity in the Tsunami case. The investigating magistrate of the Supreme Court, Susana Polo, proposed that Puigdemont and Wagensberg declare voluntarily and by videoconference the week of June 17, since they are abroad. This decision has angered private accusations, since the date coincides with the possible entry into force of the amnesty law and the end of Puigdemont’s protection in the European chamber.
Statements by videoconference from Barcelona
Judge García-Castellón has allowed the 10 Tsunami defendants to testify by videoconference, but from a court in Barcelona. At least four of the defendants are in Switzerland to avoid this accusation that they consider political and unfounded.
