Human rights NGO Amnesty International has received a flood of criticism from members and social media users after publishing a statement considered too weak on the preventive detention without bail of Jordi Sànchez and Jordi Cuixart and the rejection of their appeals for release. "It's a step in the wrong direction", is how the text characterises the event.
Since the organisation published their reaction on Twitter on Friday, they have been accused of not giving a stronger, more active response for fear of "losing income", as almost all their money comes from donations.
Users are calling for an international campaign collecting signatures or sending letters. They also criticise the Catalan branch of the NGO, part of the Spanish one, for not having published the statement on more of the organisation's Twitter accounts than their own, @aministiaCAT.
As well as the complaints, some members have said they will leave the entity in the next few days in disagreement with this response.
Gracies AC pero ara mateix aniria be actualitzar-vos i posar-vos les piles. Per quant una campanya seriosa a nivell internacional ?
— Josep Ciurana Dorca (@jociurana) 3 de novembre de 2017
Translation: Thanks Amnesty, but right now it would be good for you to get up-to-date and get a move on. When [will there be] a serious international campaign?
Esta es la cuestión. Si se trata de un posicionamiento internacional, ¿por qué no se aborda con recogida de firmas y envío de cartas?
— Ana Echeverría (@anachevere) 5 de novembre de 2017
Here's the question. If it's an international position, why aren't they collecting signatures or sending letters?
Hola Amnistia, sóc sòcia, veig que quan heu d’actuar i denunciar sou tebis. Dilluns us informaré de la meva baixa.#Llibertatpresospolitics
— Neus Tumultuària (@NTumultuaria) 3 de novembre de 2017
Hello Amnesty. I'm a member. I see that when you have to act and denounce you're lukewarm. On Monday I'll inform you I'm leaving. #ReleasePoliticalPrisoners
Cert. Feu el favor de dir-ho també pel twitter internacional i l'espanyol, aviam si ho veuen.
— Xava Apitxat (@xavapitxat) 6 de novembre de 2017
Sure. Do [us] the favour of also saying it on your international and Spanish Twitter [accounts], let's see if they see it.
Llegint tots els tuits s'intueix que la voluntat és bona, però la manera de comunicar-ho és errada. Trieu millor les paraules, sisplau!
— Guifré Miquel (@cubelespetit) 6 de novembre de 2017
Reading all the tweets, you sense their will is good, but the way it's being communicated is wrong. Choose your words better, please!
Seguiu què? Q al tw espanyol no se’n digui ni una paraula fa evident q no és posicionament d’AI sinó estratègia per no perdre € aquí.
— Aleix Plana (@aleix_plana) 6 de novembre de 2017
What are you following? That the Spanish Twitter [account] doesn't say a word makes it clear that it's not a position of Amnesty International, just a strategy to not lose money here.
Sou indecents. Ho sento però em cau un mite. A qui defensareu? Causes sense compromís per continuar visquen de la bona fe dela gent.
— Montse @mgachim (@montsegroda) 6 de novembre de 2017
You're indecent. I'm sorry, but a hero of mine has fallen. Who will you defend? Causes with no commitment to continue living off the good will of the people.
Un pas en la direcció equivocada?
— Mperarna (@MPerarna) 4 de novembre de 2017
Us sumeu als de: Un gran error. Desproporcionat. Trist. Etc.
Quina grandíssima decepció, @AmnistiaCat!
A step in the wrong direction? You're joining those with the: A grave error. Disproportionate. Sad. Etc. What a great disappointment, Amnesty!
Molt malament Amnistia C. sempre he estat amb vosaltres, ara ens doneu l"esquena,no feu res xq no us dóna la gana, m'esborro i ho difondré
— Antonio Izquierdo (@antizga30) 6 de novembre de 2017
Very badly done, Amnesty. I've always been with you, now you turn your back on us. You don't do anything because you don't feel like it. I'm leaving and will spread it.
Amnesty defends itself
Facing this, Amnesty has replied via Twitter too. They say that it's an international position, but that the specific actions they carry out depend on "many factors", like the "gravity [or] urgency [of the situation] (for example an imminent execution)".
Defending themselves, they say that they're the only international organisation that has called for the release of the Jordis and that the statement also demands the "withdrawal of the charge of sedition" as well as their "immediate release from preventive detention".
As for the imprisonment of Catalan government ministers, Amnesty still has made no official statement, but say that they're "following the situation closely".
Hola David, estem seguint de prop la situació a Catalunya, i l'empresonament dels consellers és un dels temes que treballem, sí.
— Amnistia Catalunya (@AmnistiaCAT) 6 de novembre de 2017
[First tweet] Hello. I've been a member for years and would like to know if you will investigate the mistreatment of the ministers during their transfer to prison. Thank you. [Second tweet] Hello David. We're closely following the situation in Catalonia, and the imprisonment of the ministers is one of the topics we're working on, yes.
Que todo el @govern esté en la cárcel injustamente no es grave? Se os ve el plumero.
— Ara és hora segadors (@LluisMarti) 6 de novembre de 2017
[First tweet] It depends on many factors: gravity, urgency (for example an imminent execution), etc. [Second tweet] All the Catalan government being in prison unjustly isn't serious? I see what's going on.