Once the repeal of the crime of sedition has been agreed and replaced by the crime of aggravated public disorder in the Penal Code, in the processing phase of this PSOE and United We Can bill, the possibility of reforming embezzlement is opened, one of the issues that affect the leaders of the procés, including Oriol Junqueras and Carles Puigdemont, through amendments.
In this regard, the ERC spokesman in Congress, Gabriel Rufián, has argued that “it makes no sense that without personal enrichment or a structure of corruption, Junqueras is judged for embezzlement”, but has expressed concern that a reform in embezzlement can benefit corrupt politicians.
For this reason, at a press conference in the Lower House, the Republican has opted for a “surgical reform linked to sedition.” The objective would be for the changes not to benefit “very corrupt” plots, such as the Kitchen, in which the Ministry of the Interior allegedly used public funds to steal information from former PP treasurer Luís Bárcenas that could compromise the leadership of the party.
“You have to be surgical in the articulation of these amendments,” said Rufián, who wanted to make it clear that “they have to be linked to what sedition means.” “It is about not using the criminal code as an ideological punishment,” argued the Esquerra leader, after clarifying that “we are not suspected of wanting to whitewash any corruption.”
“This is the key to balance,” concluded Rufián, who has refused to give more details. “We never telegraph what we negotiate,” he has alleged.
Yesterday, the president of the Generalitat, Pere Aragonès, already opened the possibility of amending the text in the sense of reversing the changes that the PP made in this crime in the Penal Code after the independence referendum of 9-N called by Artur Mas, against whom there was no conviction for embezzlement. And from the Government, yesterday it was pointed out that it cannot be the same and an embezzlement with or without profit cannot be punished in the same way.
Rufián has also tried to respond to criticism from other pro-independence parties and social platforms that see the crime of aggravated public disorder as a way of persecuting activism. “Whoever doesn’t like it, help,” Rufián has claimed, who after recalling that “the crime already exists” the repeal of sedition has only been achieved by “half of the independence movement.” “Imagine what we would get if we all did it?” He asked himself. “It is about trying to make it more difficult for a judge with x interests to twist the criminal code,” the Republican spokesman wanted to summarize. “He will do what he wants, but it’s about making it more difficult,” he insisted.
