Spain’s Congress has approved the government’s Catalan amnesty law and came into effect on June 11.
Key facts
- The law seeks to withdraw pending legal action against Catalan nationalists for separatist activities, including a 2017 referendum and failed independence bid.
- The law is expected to affect around 400 people. The most high-profile and controversial beneficiary is Carles Puigdemont.
- Carles Puigdemont-the former president of Catalonia, led the 2017 secession drive in the wealthy northeastern region of Spain before going into self-exile in Belgium, where he has resided ever since.
- An amnesty would allow him to return to Spain. Mr Puigdemont’s Together for Catalonia (JxCat) party and the Catalan Republican Left (ERC) demanded the amnesty in exchange for their parliamentary support for his coalition government.
