The UN Human Rights Council issued a statement Thursday criticizing Spanish government efforts to block a referendum on independence in Catalonia. The vote is scheduled for Oct. 1 but the central government in Madrid says the referendum is illegal and can't happen. In the council's statement, UN human rights experts say, "Regardless of the lawfulness of the referendum, the Spanish authorities have a responsibility to respect those rights that are essential to democratic societies." "The measures we are witnessing are worrying because they appear to violate fundamental individual rights, cutting off public information and the possibility of debate at a critical moment for Spain's democracy," the UN human rights experts say. Spain's chief public prosecutor has refused to rule out the arrest of Puigdemont for pushing ahead with the independence referendum.

Source: CBC News September 29, 2017 01:28 UTC