Quim Torra again found guilty of contempt of court

Former Catalan president fined €24,000 and banned from office for a further 15 months over political prisoners banner

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President Torra, greeting the rally at the door of Palau. Behind him, the banner of the prisoners — The 'ex-president' Torra, greeting those gathered at the door of Palau. Behind him, the banner of the prisoners Francesc Melcion

BarcelonaQuim Torra was the first Catalan president to be forced to from office by the courts. His refusal to remove a banner in solidarity with political prisoners and exiles cost him the presidency in autumn 2020. The same banner, now object of a second trial, has now cost him an additional fifteen months' ban from office and a €24,000 fine. Torra has ten days to appeal to the Audiencia de Barcelona.

This Wednesday, Barcelona's criminal court number 6 has published a ruling which found Torra guilty of contempt of court after he refused to obey a court order mandating the removal of the banner from the facade of the Palau de la Generalitat in September 2019. "It should not be understood that the defendant's actions are protected by the legitimate exercise of fundamental rights or parliamentary inviolability," magistrate Diana Marcelo Martín remarked.