The case of spying on the phones of around fifty Catalan separatists is experiencing a new development with several filings of complaints in several countries, including Spain of course, but also France. Carles Puigdemont calls on the European Parliament to investigate the case.
From the year of the illegal referendum of 2017 until 2020, 51 Catalans in direct or indirect connection with the independence movements were the object of telephone espionage. Among them, no less than three presidents of the Generalitat of Catalonia: Artur Mas, Quim Torra and the current president, Pere Aragonès, who is calling for an internal investigation by the Spanish government. Three MEPs or even lawyers are among the victims of the operation, the identity of the sponsors of which is unknown for the time being. The affair, revealed on April 18 by the Canadians of Citizen Lab logically takes a judicial turn with the filing of several complaints from as many victims of this large-scale operation.
CatalanGate, “a clear link” with the Spanish authorities
Again alongside Carles Puigdemont for the occasion, Oriol Junqueras, separatist leader of ERC (left) imprisoned for a time and former MEP, justifies the judicial internationalization of the case: “We are launching an international offensive to ensure that these facts will not go unpunished”, reports Mediapart. Besides Spain and France (where the phone of Puigdemont’s lawyer, Gonzalo Boye, was allegedly targeted in 2020), complaints have been filed in Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and Luxembourg, against NSO, the Israeli company behind the Pegasus spy software. The victims believe that the Spanish state is behind this spying operation. Citizen Lab Canadians too. “We have seen a lot of elements that point to the Spanish authorities, given the identity of the victims, the time and the circumstances of the attacks. (software-NDLR). There is a clear link, it would be highly unlikely that a non-Spanish agent was behind such a massive attack.” said a member of Citizen Lab during a press conference. If Junqueras does not clearly call for the resignation of anyone, he asks the Spanish government to“to assume their responsibilities” in that case“if he wants to renew the bond of trust” with Catalan society. The votes of ERC, the party of Junqueras, are essential to the maintenance of the Sanchez government which ensures, through the voice of its spokesperson, “have nothing to hide”. .
Carles Puigdemont urges Europe to investigate and “independence to sever all political relations with Spain”
In parallel with the filing of complaints, the former president of the Generalit, now a MEP, Carles Puigdemont, urges the European Parliament to take up the case. Taking advantage of his participation in the Parliament’s committee on the Pegasus scandal in Poland, Puigdemont “demands another commission on spying on secessionism”, indicated yesterday the Spanish newspaper ABC. Puigdemont denounces “a profound attack on the very heart of democracy. A coup d’etat (dont) Pedro Sanchez is an accomplice.” Via the Council for the Catalan Republic, created by and for a Puigdemont who left for Belgium, the former Catalan president points “a criminal conspiracy” et “demands that the independence movement sever all political relations with Spain (et) withdraw from the dialogue table”. Objective: seize the opportunity to resume the path started in 2017, via a new “democratic confrontation”.