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| Catalan independence: Spain's top prosecutor calls for rebellion charges | Catalan independence: Spain's top prosecutor calls for rebellion charges |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Spain's chief prosecutor has called for charges including rebellion - which carries a maximum 30 year jail term - to be brought against Catalan leaders. | Spain's chief prosecutor has called for charges including rebellion - which carries a maximum 30 year jail term - to be brought against Catalan leaders. |
| José Manuel Maza said they should also face sedition charges following the region's declaration of independence. | José Manuel Maza said they should also face sedition charges following the region's declaration of independence. |
| It comes as Spain acts to take direct control of Catalonia, replacing senior officials. | It comes as Spain acts to take direct control of Catalonia, replacing senior officials. |
| Meanwhile, former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont is reported to be in the Belgian capital, Brussels. | Meanwhile, former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont is reported to be in the Belgian capital, Brussels. |
| Mr Puigdemont is with other dismissed Catalan ministers and will meet Flemish politicians, Spanish media report. Belgium's state broadcaster also reported that he would meet lawyers in Brussels, and a journalist tweeted (in Catalan) that the former president was in a "safe and secret" location. | Mr Puigdemont is with other dismissed Catalan ministers and will meet Flemish politicians, Spanish media report. Belgium's state broadcaster also reported that he would meet lawyers in Brussels, and a journalist tweeted (in Catalan) that the former president was in a "safe and secret" location. |
| Spanish authorities sacked Mr Puigdemont as regional leader on Friday, and suspended Catalan autonomy. | Spanish authorities sacked Mr Puigdemont as regional leader on Friday, and suspended Catalan autonomy. |
| Speaking at a press conference earlier, Mr Maza, the Spanish attorney-general, called for Catalonia's leaders to be charged with misuse of funds over the independence referendum they held in October, after it had been declared illegal by the constitutional court. | Speaking at a press conference earlier, Mr Maza, the Spanish attorney-general, called for Catalonia's leaders to be charged with misuse of funds over the independence referendum they held in October, after it had been declared illegal by the constitutional court. |
| Under the Spanish legal system, Mr Maza's requests will be considered by a judge. | Under the Spanish legal system, Mr Maza's requests will be considered by a judge. |
| What happened on Monday? | What happened on Monday? |
| There appeared to be no major disruption in Catalan government offices on Monday morning, despite some officials defying instructions from Madrid not to turn up for work. | There appeared to be no major disruption in Catalan government offices on Monday morning, despite some officials defying instructions from Madrid not to turn up for work. |
| Any ministers who arrived at their offices were given hours to leave under threat of "action" by Catalonia's regional police force, Mossos. | Any ministers who arrived at their offices were given hours to leave under threat of "action" by Catalonia's regional police force, Mossos. |
| Madrid's temporary move to impose direct control by invoking Article 155 of the constitution - a first for Spain - will see as many as 150 of the region's top officials replaced. | Madrid's temporary move to impose direct control by invoking Article 155 of the constitution - a first for Spain - will see as many as 150 of the region's top officials replaced. |
| Mr Puigdemont and his vice-president Oriol Junqueras reject the central government's moves, arguing that they can only be removed from office by the citizens of Catalonia. | |
| Earlier this month Jordia Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart, both pro-independence campaign leaders, were arrested on sedition charges. The wife of Mr Sanchez, Susana Barrera, told the BBC that finding out he had been denied bail was "like a nightmare". | |
| What's next for Catalan autonomy? | What's next for Catalan autonomy? |
| Madrid has called for fresh regional elections on 21 December. | Madrid has called for fresh regional elections on 21 December. |
| A spokeswoman for Mr Puigdemont's PDeCAT party said it would field candidates "with conviction". The ex-president could run in new elections if he has not been jailed by then, according to Spain's Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis. | A spokeswoman for Mr Puigdemont's PDeCAT party said it would field candidates "with conviction". The ex-president could run in new elections if he has not been jailed by then, according to Spain's Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis. |
| On Monday, Mr Dastis said he hoped the forthcoming elections would help to "restore legal governance and rule of law in Catalonia". | On Monday, Mr Dastis said he hoped the forthcoming elections would help to "restore legal governance and rule of law in Catalonia". |
| Meanwhile, Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido has written to all police officers in Catalonia asking for their loyalty as a "new era" begins in the region | Meanwhile, Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido has written to all police officers in Catalonia asking for their loyalty as a "new era" begins in the region |
| What is the local press saying? | What is the local press saying? |
| How did we get here? | How did we get here? |
| Spain has been gripped by a constitutional crisis since a referendum, organised by Mr Puigdemont's separatist government, was held earlier this month in defiance of a ruling by the constitutional court which had declared it illegal. | Spain has been gripped by a constitutional crisis since a referendum, organised by Mr Puigdemont's separatist government, was held earlier this month in defiance of a ruling by the constitutional court which had declared it illegal. |
| The Catalan government said that of the 43% of potential voters who took part, 90% were in favour of independence. | The Catalan government said that of the 43% of potential voters who took part, 90% were in favour of independence. |
| On Friday the regional parliament declared independence. | On Friday the regional parliament declared independence. |
| Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy then announced the dissolution of the regional parliament and the removal of Mr Puigdemont as Catalan leader. | Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy then announced the dissolution of the regional parliament and the removal of Mr Puigdemont as Catalan leader. |
| Mr Puigdemont has urged "democratic opposition" to direct rule from Madrid. | Mr Puigdemont has urged "democratic opposition" to direct rule from Madrid. |
| Before this, the region had one of the greatest levels of self-government in Spain. | Before this, the region had one of the greatest levels of self-government in Spain. |
| It has its own parliament, police force and public broadcaster, as well as a government and president. | It has its own parliament, police force and public broadcaster, as well as a government and president. |
| Catalans had a range of powers in many policy areas from culture and environment to communications, transportation, commerce and public safety. | Catalans had a range of powers in many policy areas from culture and environment to communications, transportation, commerce and public safety. |