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A number of members of the European Parliament will ask the Spanish state to allow them to act as international observers during the trial over last year's independence referendum. They'll make the request through the EU-Catalonia Dialogue Platform, which works to promote EU intervention in the conflict between Catalonia and Spain. The observers could also include members of human rights organisations.

The announcement was made this Monday by French MEP José Bové outside Lledoners prison after visiting the Catalan politicians being held in custody there. He said the trial "has no guarantees" and that the conditions of the trial are a "true problem for democracy". He also called for the immediate release of the prisoners so they can prepare their defence.

Swedish MEP Bodil Valero, meanwhile, said that "if Europe doesn't take a stance on the conflict between Catalonia and Spain, it's down to cowardice".

MEPs visit the prisoners

The group, coming from countries like Ireland, Sweden, the UK and France, arrived in Barcelona yesterday evening. They will also visit former minister Dolors Bassa in Puig de les Basses and former speaker of the Catalan Parliament Carme Forcadell in Mas d'Enric.

The MEPs arrived at Lledoners at 9am this Monday to meet with the political prisoners being held there. "The air and the mood are as cold as each other here", said Bodil Valero from the Greens/EFA group.

Irish MEP Matt Carthy (GUE/NGL), said before the visit that the prisoners "are imprisoned for allowing their citizens to vote". He declared himself surprised by the little backlash focused on the Spanish government, "the one responsible for this injustice".

After arriving in Barcelona yesterday, the politicians met with family members of the imprisoned pro-independence leaders. Txell Bonet, partner of Jordi Cuixart, president of Òmnium Cultural, thanked them for their visit and drawing attention to the cause. Catalan foreign minister Ernest Maragall acted as host. "Some of the relatives had just returned with their children from visiting the prisons," Matt Carthy noted.

The MEPs, all members of the EU-Catalonia Dialogue Platform, include Marina Albiol (GUE/NGL), José Bové (Greens/EFA), Matt Carthy (GUE/NGL), Jill Evans (Greens/EFA), Ana Miranda Paz (Greens/EFA), Jordi Sebastià (ex-Greens/EFA), Jordi Solé (Greens/EFA), Josep-Maria Terricabras (Greens/EFA) and Bodil Valero (Greens/EFA).

It's not the first time that MEPs have visited the political prisoners in Lledoners. On 9th September, 13 of them held a meeting there which lasted more than two hours.