Supreme Court Authorizes Destruction of 2017 Catalan Referendum Evidence with Sample Retention
The Spanish Supreme Court has authorized the Mossos d'Esquadra, Catalonia's regional police force, to destroy the physical evidence collected during the October 2017 independence referendum, known as the 1-O. This decision comes nearly seven years after the court convicted nine leaders of sedition related to the independence process. While granting permission to dispose of ballot boxes, ballots, envelopes, and minutes, the Criminal Chamber ordered that one or two samples of each type of evidence be preserved and sent to the Supreme Court for custody. The resolution requires the destruction to occur in the presence of a judicial lawyer, who must document the process. This ruling follows a request from the General Directorate of Police of the Generalitat to clear the stored materials. The original trial resulted in prison sentences for key figures including former Vice President Oriol Junqueras and former Parliament Speaker Carme Forcadell, while former President Carles Puigdemont remains prosecuted for rebellion. The decision marks a procedural closure to the material handling of the case, though the political ramifications of the 2017 events continue to influence Spanish politics.
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Supreme Court Authorizes Destruction of 2017 Catalan Referendum Evidence with Sample Retention
The Spanish Supreme Court has authorized the Mossos d'Esquadra, Catalonia's regional police force, to destroy the physical evidence collected during the October 2017 independence referendum, known as the 1-O. This decision comes nearly seven years after the court convicted nine leaders of sedition related to the independence process. While granting permission to dispose of ballot boxes, ballots, envelopes, and minutes, the Criminal Chamber ordered that one or two samples of each type of evidence be preserved and sent to the Supreme Court for custody. The resolution requires the destruction to occur in the presence of a judicial lawyer, who must document the process. This ruling follows a request from the General Directorate of Police of the Generalitat to clear the stored materials. The original trial resulted in prison sentences for key figures including former Vice President Oriol Junqueras and former Parliament Speaker Carme Forcadell, while former President Carles Puigdemont remains prosecuted for rebellion. The decision marks a procedural closure to the material handling of the case, though the political ramifications of the 2017 events continue to influence Spanish politics.
elpais