Most of the complaints presented in Geneva relate to protest, freedom of expression, political participation, self-determination and minority language rights in Catalonia
Coinciding with International Human Rights Day and the celebration of the pre-session organized by UPR-Info, over 40 organizations throughout Spain informed yesterday on the content of the reports submitted for the 35th session of the UPR Working Group in Geneva, Switzerland.
Among the organizations that presented reports were the Assemblea Nacional Catalana, Òmnium Cultural, Plataforma per la Llengua, International Trial Watch, PEN Internacional, the Associació Catalana de Professionals, and the Grup de Periodistes Ramon Barnils.
Having considered the reports in the pre-session, the situation of Human Rights in Spain will be evaluated in the UPR in January, and recommendations will be issued for improvement.
Most of the reports to the UN condemn the violation of the rights to protest, freedom of expression, political participation, self-determination and minority language rights. In addition, some of the organizations spotlight the abuse of journalists, attorneys and activists who report these violations and defend the victims.
Moreover, some organizations alerted of the abusive Law of Citizen Protection passed in 2015, which has allowed for freer interpretations of what consists of “terrorism”, and therefore developed into much harsher convictions for what would otherwise be minor offenses. In that line, the rights of those accused of terrorism was also highlighted, as well as the attacks on digital rights, the rights of people with functional diversity and the impunity of the Franco regime, among others.