The former presidents of the Generalitat and the Catalan Parliament and the Síndic call for an end to the hunger strike

They understand that the measure has already achieved the objective of "making visible" the procedural situation of imprisoned leaders.

Five former presidents of the Generalitat and four former presidents of the Catalan Parliament, in addition to the current Síndic de Greuges, signed a letter on Wednesday addressing the four imprisoned pro-independence leaders who began a hunger strike from Lledoners prison, Jordi Sànchez, Jordi Turull, Josep Rull and Joaquim Forn, who consider the possibility of abandoning this extreme measure.

The signatories are the former presidents of the Generalitat, Jordi Pujol, Pasqual Maragall, José Montilla, Artur Mas and Carles Puigdemont; the ex-presidents of the Parlament, Joan Rigol, Ernest Benach, Núria de Gispert and Carme Forcadell, as well as the Ombudsman Rafael Ribó, promoter of the initiative. It is unusual for so many former presidents to agree on a text like this one.

In the statement, the ex-presidents understand that the strike has already achieved the objective of "making visible" the procedural situation of the imprisoned leaders and has "shaken consciences on a national and international scale". In addition, they also note that the Constitutional Court has already set a timetable for the resolution of appeals filed in recent months and has even resolved some. Precisely the affected prisoners began the hunger strike in protest against the delay of the TC in the resolution of their resources, a circumstance that blocked the possibility of going to European instances, as the defenses want.

For the signatories, now the priority is "safeguarding the right to life and health", in addition to those affected can participate "with full powers" in the trial of procés that will start next January in the Supreme Court.

The former president of the ANC and deputy of JxCat, Jordi Sànchez, and the former Presidency, Jordi Turull, began the hunger strike on December 1, so they have been eating food for 19 days and drinking only liquids. The state of health of both has already deteriorated to the point that Turull is admitted to the infirmary. For their part, the ex-ex-Rust and Forn also started the strike three days after their colleagues and have been in the same circumstances for 16 days.

https://www.lavanguardia.com/politica/20181219/453649463612/expresidents-generalitat-parlament-piden-presos-huelga-hambre-abandonen.html