Peter Luykx visits Catalan political prisoners

“There is no room for political repression in the European Union. The N-VA wishes to inform the Catalan political prisoners that as a party it will continue to stand up for the immediate release of all Catalan political prisoners and for the resolution of the conflict between Barcelona and Madrid through non-judicial channels. We will not be silent.” MP Peter Luykx visited seven Catalan political prisoners in Catalonia on Tuesday. The seven are in remand for their involvement in the Catalan independence referendum of 1 October 2017.

A hearty boost

With this visit, Peter Luykx wants to give the political prisoners a hearty boost in recognition of their remarkable and peaceful struggle for freedom and self-determination. On the other hand, he wishes to raise awareness of the injustice of their imprisonment. “I don’t know what is more striking, that a European Member State has imprisoned politicians and activists because of a political opinion and for exercising their function or that the European Union is looking the other way. As a European citizen, I am extremely disappointed by the EU’s deafening silence,” Peter Luykx says.

N-VA letter of support

MP Peter Luykx met with civil society activist Jordi Cuixart, former Vice President of Catalonia Oriol Junqueras and former Catalan Foreign Minister Raül Romeva. He also visited Catalan politicians Jordi Sànchez, Jordi Turull, Josep Rull and Quim Forn, who were on a hunger strike for almost three weeks in December. Peter Luykx handed the prisoners a letter of support on behalf of the N-VA group in the federal parliament.