The Executive Council of the Catalan government held an extraordinary meeting today to agree the first actions to be carried out as an immediate response to the sentences imposed on the organisers of the 1 October 2017 referendum by the Supreme Court. At a press conference following the meeting, Minister of the Presidency and government spokesperson Meritxell Budó reiterated the executive’s rejection of the “unjust” sentences handed down and said the government will seek an “amnesty for the political prisoners”. During the meeting, the president said that he will participate in a “self-incrimination campaign” launched by the cultural association Òmnium Cultural.

Budó announced that the president of the Government of Catalonia, Quim Torra, will ask to appear before the Parliament of Catalonia in an extraordinary plenary session that could be held this Thursday at 10 a.m.: “We believe it’s essential for the president to appear before Parliament because it’s the institution where the citizens of Catalonia are represented and the right place for a debate on the sentences handed down yesterday.”

The government will also launch an international offensive to raise awareness of the Supreme Court verdict against the political prisoners. Budó reported that President Torra will send a letter to the presidents and prime ministers of EU, G20 and EFTA countries to condemn the conviction of Catalan political leaders on charges of sedition and misuse of public funds. In addition, a dossier of institutional statements on the response to the sentences will be provided to media organisations. The Minister for Foreign Action, Alfred Bosch, will embark on a European tour today and send letters to foreign affairs ministers to inform them of the sentences and the position the Catalan government.

Budú also said that members of the Executive Council will immediately visit the prisoners to express their support and solidarity and discuss the actions that need to be carried out going forward. She said the visits were intended to “get their input and involve them in the decisions taken by the government”.

Finally, the government has decided that ministers will participate only in events that focus on rejection of the sentences, at least until after the plenary session of Parliament on Thursday.