Catalan amnesty law terrorism amendment negotiated

The political divisions in Spain over the government's proposed amnesty for those involved in the Catalan illegal independence referendum in 2017 have deepened this week over a deal to clarify its effect on crimes supposedly classed as terrorism.

This will have the effect of further shielding self-exiled Junts leader Carles Puigdemont and ERC secretary general Marta Rovira and activists under investigation for terrorism in the so-called Tsunami Democràtic and Operation Judas inquiries.

The new wording of Article 2 - supported by the PSOE, Sumar, Bildu, PNV, ERC, Junts per Catalunya and Podemos - will, in practice, allow terrorist crimes related to the Catalan actions to go unpunished even if the perpetrators have received a final sentence. The only exception will now be if there has been a "direct intention" to provoke "serious violations of human rights" and if it involves death or torture.

A top national judge has Puigdemont and Rovira under investigation for alleged terrorist offences.