The Catalan National Assembly (Assemblea) has sent a factsheet on Spain’s human rights violations against the Catalan people to embassies that have previously expressed concern or are engaged with the issue. This comes ahead of Spain’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) by the United Nations, as Assemblea seeks to ensure international scrutiny of the systematic repression faced by Catalans.
The factsheet is a summary of the report submitted in collaboration with the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO), which was initially presented to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) as part of Spain’s UPR process. It documents a pattern of state repression, including judicial persecution of Catalan political and civil society leaders, the illegal surveillance of over 65 Catalan citizens with Pegasus spyware, attacks on freedom of expression, and police brutality against peaceful demonstrators. The report also highlights Spain’s efforts to undermine the Catalan language and culture through discriminatory policies in education and public administration.
Despite previous UPR recommendations, Spain has failed to implement meaningful reforms and continues to violate fundamental rights. By sending this factsheet to key embassies, Assemblea aims to raise awareness and encourage diplomatic pressure to hold Spain accountable. The organization urges international actors to closely monitor Spain’s compliance with its human rights obligations and demand concrete measures to protect Catalan civil and political rights.
For further information, access the full submission: https://unpo.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Spain-UPR-49th-session_-Joint-submission-final.docx.pdf