Catalan political prisoner Josep Rull arrived this Monday morning shortly before 9am, driving his own car to his new job at the Mútua de Terrassa health centre. Visibly emotional, he was greeted with chants of "Liberty!" by hundreds of people waiting for him in front of the mutual insurance company's centre, which will be his workplace from Monday to Thursday. He is to do volunteer work on Fridays.
Rull, like the rest of the Catalan political prisoners, has been granted approval to begin a work regime outside the jail under article 100.2 of the prison regulations. The former Catalan territorial minister has permission to be away from prison from Monday to Friday, 8am to 8 pm, to work in the mutual insurance firm in his hometown of Terrassa, where he has run for mayoral office several times.
This morning, his wife Meritxell Lluís went to collect him at the door of the Lledoners penitentiary, but the minister himself took the wheel for the journey from the prison to Terrassa, at the start of what from now on will be his weekday routine.
What will not be part of the routine are the hundreds of people who were waiting for him outside his new workplace first thing in the morning, greeting him with chants of "Liberty!" and "You are not alone!" Also at the entrance to the building was the current Catalan territorial minister, Damià Calvet, and members of his department.
Well-wishers carrying pro-independence estelada flags and "Free the political prisoners" banners lined Rull's pathway on both sides as he approached the door of the Mútua de Terrassa centre, where he was received by the entity's president and director. It was a walk filled with greetings and hugs. Visibly emotional, he repeatedly thanked those present for their support and went into his new job without making any statements beyond that.
In this health centre, the politician will carry out tasks related to his training as a lawyer, focusing on the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) linked to energy efficiency and sustainability.
Josep Rull is required to be back at the prison at 8pm.