Below, El Nacional's English translation of the manifesto on Catalonia signed by 41 French senators as published in the on-line journal Mediapart on Sunday March 24th:
For the Respect of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms in Catalonia
Belonging to different political groups in the [French] upper house, 41 senators sign an appeal for the respect of fundamental rights and freedoms in Catalonia. At the initiative of François CALVET, Michel CANEVET, Ronan DANTEC, André GATTOLIN, Pierre OUZOULIAS and Simon SUTOUR, this text condemns the repression of elected Catalan representatives and calls for political solutions at European level.
"Our country is a neighbour to Spain and to its great Region, Catalonia, with whom we share a long history.
Both as Europeans and as Frenchmen and women, we feel concerned about the grave events that have taken place in Catalonia. At the time when the trial is taking place in the Spanish Supreme Court of former members of the Catalan regional government, the former speaker of the Catalan Parliament and leaders of Catalan civil associations, we, members of the Senate of the [French] Republic:
- Call for respect for fundamental rights and freedoms in Catalonia, without, of course, interfering in the political problems of a neighbouring country and without taking sides on the question of the independence of Catalonia;
- Condemn the repression suffered by legitimate elected representatives, political representatives of the government of the Generalitat of Catalonia imprisoned or forced into exile due to their opinions while exercising the mandates entrusted to them by the electors;
- Note that this situation is a veritable attack on democratic rights and freedoms;
- Regret that the gravity of this situation has been underestimated in our country;
- Call on France and the countries of the European Union to intervene to reestablish conditions for dialogue in order to find political solutions to a political problem."
Signed by Michel AMIEL, Senator for Bouches du Rhône, and 40 others.