Free them all

We, politicians, activists and individuals from England, Scotland, Wales, the north of Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, demand the immediate release of the nine Catalan politicians imprisoned for their political ideas for more than a year.

These nine Catalan politicians and activists are accused of crimes of rebellion and sedition and face jail sentences of up to 25 years for having defended, in a peaceful and democratic way, the independence of Catalonia and the right to self-determination of their people.

Regardless of our position on the independence of Catalonia, any democrat must condemn this unjust and disproportionate imprisonment in a EU member state.

In a democracy political affairs are decided at the ballot box, not through justice and police violence.

Free them all.

The initial signatories of the manifesto are:

Martina Anderson, Sinn Féin Member of the European Parliament for Northern Ireland

Mick Antoniw, Labour and Co-operative Member of the Welsh Assembly for Pontypridd

Aamer Anwar, Rector of the University of Glasgow

Clare Baley, Leader of the Green Party in Northern Ireland and Green Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Belfast South

Richard Boyd, Solidarity-People Before Profit Teachta Dála for Dún Laoghaire

Sinead Bradley, SDLP Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for South Down

Math Campbell-Sturgess, founder of the English Scots for YES group

Gerry Carroll, People Before Profit Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Belfast West

Pat Catney, SDLP Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Lagan Valley

Maggie Chapman, Rector of the University of Aberdeen and co-convenor of the Scottish Green Party

Douglas Chapman, SNP Member of Parliament for Dunfermline and West Fife

John Dallat, SDLP Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Londonderry East and former Deputy Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly

Clare Daly, Irish Independents 4 Change Teachta Dála for Dublin Fingal

Andrew Dismore, Labour Member of the London Assembly for Barnet and Camden

Mark Durkan, former deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland and SDLP Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Foyle

Colum Eastwood, Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party and SDLP Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Foyle

Jonathan Edwards, Plaid Cymru Member of Parliament for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr

Linda Fabiani, SNP Member of the Scottish Parliament for Central Scotland and Deputy Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament

John Finnie, Green Member of the Scottish Parliament for Highlands and Islands

Colin Fox, feminist activist and equality lawyer

Paul Gavan, Sinn Féin Senator for the Labour Panel

John Griffiths, Labour and Co-operative Member of the Welsh Assembly for Newport East

Llyr Gruffydd, Plaid Cymru Member of the Welsh Assembly for North Wales

Neil Hamilton, Leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party in Wales and UKIP Member of the Welsh Assembly for Mid and West Wales

Claire Hanna, SDLP Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Belfast South

Rhun ap Iorwerth, Plaid Cymru Member of the Welsh Assembly for Ynys Môn

Dolores Kelly, SDLP Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Upper Bann

Gino Kenny, Solidarity-People Before Profit Teachta Dála for Dublin-Mid West

George Kerevan, former SNP Member of Parliament for East Lothian

Ben Lake, Plaid Cymru Member of Parliament for Ceredigion

Angus Brendan MacNeil, SNP Member of Parliament for Na h-Eileanan an Iar

Nichola Mallon, SDLP Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Belfast North and former Lord Mayor of Belfast

Paul Mason, journalist, film-maker and author

Daniel McCrossan, SDLP Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for West Tyrone

Patsy McGlone, Deputy Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly and SDLP Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Mid-Ulster

Colin McGrath, SDLP Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for South Down

Anna McMorrin, Labour Member of Parliament for Cardiff North

Justin McNulty, SDLP Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Newry and Armagh

Neil McVoy, Plaid Cymru Member of the Welsh Assembly for South Wales Central

Paul Middleton, Professor of Biblical Studies at the University of Chester

Paul Monaghan, former SNP Member of Parliament for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross

Suzanne Moore, Guardian columnist

Craig Murray, author, broadcaster, human rights activist, former British Ambassador to Uzbekistan and former Rector of the University of Dundee

Stephen Paton, Online Content Editor at The National

Lesley Riddoch, Scotsman and National columnist

Michael Russell, Cabinet Secretary for Government Business and Constitutional Relations in the Scottish Government and SNP Member of the Scottish Parliament for Argyll and Bute

Liz Saville-Roberts, Plaid Cymru Member of Parliament for Dwyfor Meirionnydd

Bethan Sayed, Plaid Cymru Member of the Welsh Assembly for South Wales West

Jonathon Shafi, co-founder of RISE – Scotland’s Left Alliance

Bríd Smith, Solidarity-People Before Profit Teachta Dála for Dublin South-Central

Peter Tatchell, human rights campaigner

Hywel Williams, Plaid Cymru Member of Parliament for Arfon

Leanne Wood, Plaid Cymru Member of the Welsh Assembly for Rhondda

– This manifesto has been promoted by the group Catalans for Yes –