Spanish justice grants amnesty to 12 Catalan independence activists accused of terrorism

The Spanish judiciary has dismissed charges against 12 Catalan independence activists accused of terrorism, citing an amnesty law passed in 2024. These individuals, part of the Committees for the Defense of the Republic (CDR), were accused of planning violent actions in response to a 2019 ruling against several independence leaders. The National Court of Spain based its decision on a July ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union, which upheld the amnesty law as compliant with EU regulations. The law applies to terrorism charges unless serious human rights violations are involved. The prosecution had sought prison sentences ranging from 8 to 27 years for the accused, who were labeled as a 'radical cell.' The amnesty has already benefited around 300 individuals, including former regional president Carlos Puigdemont, who remains in Belgium to evade Spanish justice.