Spain's Constitutional Court Upholds Catalonia Amnesty Law Amid Ongoing Legal Challenges

The Spanish Constitutional Court dismissed Castilla‑La Mancha's appeal against the 2024 amnesty law that pardons participants in the Catalan independence process. The court ruled that the Constitution does not forbid amnesty, the law was not arbitrary, and it respects the separation of powers, echoing earlier rulings on the same legislation. Four conservative judges filed dissenting opinions, but the majority upheld the law's validity.

Meanwhile, the Barcelona Court of Appeal has reopened the investigation into three Mossos d'Esquadra officers accused of facilitating former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont's escape during his brief visit to Barcelona on 8 August 2024, after the regional investiture of Salvador Illa. Judges cited video evidence suggesting the officers omitted their duty to pursue a crime and ordered the case to proceed toward a possible trial.

The European Court of Justice is set to deliver an advisory opinion on 17 July regarding the compatibility of the amnesty law with EU law. While the EU ruling will not automatically overturn Spanish detention orders, it will provide doctrinal guidance. Spain’s Supreme Court has indicated it will wait for the Constitutional Court’s final interpretation before taking further action on Puigdemont’s return to Spain.