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AP Interview: Catalans on hunger strike speak before trial

By Aritz Parra | Abbey Westbury
December 15 2018 03:42 AM

CP975174692 — In this undated photo provided by Catalan language association Omnium Cultural, showing jailed Catalan separatist leaders posing for a photo inside Lledoners jail in Sant Joan de Vilatorrada, 50 kms from Barcelona, Spain, with left to right; Jordi Sanchez, Oriol Junqueras, Jordi Turull, Joaquim Forn, Jordi Cuixart, Josep Rull and Raul Romeva. Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Turull, have been in a medical ward since Friday Dec. 14, 2018, as the hunger strike by the group of Catalan politicians enters its third week and begins to take a toll on their health, but they say their upcoming treason trial will allow them to peacefully promote their cause for independence from Spain. (Maria Vernet/Omnium Cultural via AP)

SANT JOAN DE VILATORRADA, Spain – Jailed Catalan separatist politicians on hunger strike for the past two weeks say their upcoming trial will be a platform to foster their cause for independence.

In rare interviews in a prison north of Barcelona, Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Turull, who has been in a medical ward since Friday, repeated calls for dialogue between Catalan and central authorities and rejected any depiction of the secessionist movement as a violent one.

Sanchez, an activist turned politician, told The Associated Press that their trial, set to begin early next year, will be “a unique moment to denounce the attitude of the kingdom of Spain contrary to the political and democratic rights in Catalonia.”

Spain says the case’s 22 defendants are being prosecuted for making an illegal attempt to secede.

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