Oriol Junqueras

Junqueras is among approximately thirty former Catalan officials facing Court of Auditors proceedings over expenditure linked to the independence process and external activities. Following the CJEU's July 2026 ruling on the amnesty law, the Court of Auditors requested further submissions instead of immediately closing the case, a decision challenged by Junqueras and other parties.

Attribution

Accused

A poster campaign targeting Ernest Maragall and his brother, who had Alzheimer's disease, was attributed to a communications operation originating within ERC circles but initially presented as an external initiative. An internal party report concluded that Junqueras had been informed of the operation's origins before media revelations. He denied prior knowledge. Following his return to ERC leadership, the internal compliance officer was replaced.

Attribution

Direct responsibility

Following the repeal of the offence of sedition, the Supreme Court reviewed Junqueras's criminal position in February 2023. It removed sedition but maintained a conviction for disobedience in conjunction with misuse of public funds, with disqualification continuing until 2031.

Attribution

Personally implicated

In December 2019, the CJEU ruled that a person elected to the European Parliament becomes an MEP upon official proclamation of the results and immediately enjoys the corresponding immunity. The European Parliament therefore recognised that Junqueras's mandate had begun on 2 July 2019. It subsequently declared the mandate terminated as of 3 January 2020 following Spanish decisions concerning his disqualification.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

In Opinion 6/2019, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention considered the detention of Junqueras, Jordi Cuixart and Jordi Sànchez arbitrary under several categories of its mandate and called for remedial measures.