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Spanish court to question Catalonia separatists – except Puigdemont Puigdemont absent as deposed Catalan leaders appear in Madrid court
(about 3 hours later)
Spain is set for another day of drama in the Catalonia crisis on Thursday with a judge in Madrid to question the deposed leaders of the region’s separatist government. The deposed leaders of Catalonia’s separatist government have begun arriving at court in Madrid to face possible charges of rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds over their roles in last week’s declaration of independence.
Notable by his likely absence, however, will be the dismissed Catalan president Carles Puigdemont, who is in Brussels and refusing to come, according to his lawyer. Notable by his likely absence, however, is the dismissed Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, who is in Brussels and refusing to come, according to his lawyer.
“He will not go to Madrid and I have suggested that he be questioned here in Belgium,” Paul Bekaert told Spain’s TV3 television on Wednesday.“He will not go to Madrid and I have suggested that he be questioned here in Belgium,” Paul Bekaert told Spain’s TV3 television on Wednesday.
The hearing at the national court in Madrid, which deals with major criminal cases, is to start at 9am and to continue on Friday. The hearing at the national court in Madrid, which deals with major criminal cases, began at 9am and will continue on Friday.
Catalonia’s former vice-president, Oriol Junqueras, was the first to arrive at the court. He went in accompanied by lawyers, passing by dozens of journalists, and declining to answer questions.
Assumpció Lailla, a former politician with Catalonia’s Democrats party, said she had travelled to Madrid joining about 100 other politicians and elected officials to show support to those investigated in the rebellion investigation.
“This is an unjust situation in which they are being investigated for facilitating democracy,” she told Associated Press. “I don’t understand how Europe can look away from democracy.”
Supporters outside court cheered and shouted “Freedom, Freedom” and “we are not afraid”.
Across the street, half a dozen protesters with Spanish flags were stopped by police. Addressing the Catalan politicians, they shouted “cowards” and “to jail, to jail”.
The judge wants to question Puigdemont and 13 others over their efforts to spearhead Catalonia’s independence drive, which has plunged Spain into its biggest crisis in decades.The judge wants to question Puigdemont and 13 others over their efforts to spearhead Catalonia’s independence drive, which has plunged Spain into its biggest crisis in decades.
An independence referendum on 1 October – which heavy-handed Spanish police tried and failed to stop – was followed by a declaration of independence by the Catalan parliament on Friday last week. An independence referendum on 1 October – which heavy-handed Spanish police tried and failed to stop – was followed by a declaration of independence by the Catalan parliament last Friday.
Later that day Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy’s government dismissed the regional government and moved to impose direct rule on the wealthy north-eastern region. Later that day, Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy’s government dismissed the regional government and moved to impose direct rule on the wealthy north-eastern region.
On Monday, Spain’s chief prosecutor said he was seeking charges of rebellion – punishable by up to 30 years in prison – sedition and misuse of public funds against the 14.On Monday, Spain’s chief prosecutor said he was seeking charges of rebellion – punishable by up to 30 years in prison – sedition and misuse of public funds against the 14.
The speaker of the Catalan parliament, Carme Forcadell, and five parliamentary deputies will also be questioned over the same alleged offences, but by a judge at the supreme court.The speaker of the Catalan parliament, Carme Forcadell, and five parliamentary deputies will also be questioned over the same alleged offences, but by a judge at the supreme court.
It was unclear how many of them will show up. It remains unclear how many of them will show up.
Puigdemont, 54, has dismissed the accusations as politically motivated and on Tuesday said he would remain in Brussels until he had guarantees that any proceedings would be impartial. Puigdemont, 54, has dismissed the accusations as politically motivated. On Tuesday said he would remain in Brussels until he had guarantees that any proceedings would be impartial.
In a statement, he said there was a concerted effort to divide his government. In a statement, he said there was a concerted effort to divide his government. Some will go before a national audience “to denounce the drive of Spanish justice to pursue political ideas”, while others “will stay in Brussels to decry this political process to the international community”, he wrote.
Some will go before a national audience “to denounce the drive of Spanish justice to pursue political ideas”, while others “will stay in Brussels to decry this political process to the international community”, he wrote. Puigdemont has retained the support of many in Catalonia. Maria Angels Selgas, a 60-year-old sales manager in Barcelona, said for her, Puigdemont was still the Catalan president.
Puigdemont has retained the support of many in Catalonia. Maria Angels Selgas, a 60-year-old sales manager in Barcelona, said that for her, Puigdemont was still the Catalan president. “If they humiliate him then they humiliate also the more than 2 million Catalans who voted ‘yes’ in the referendum,” she said. “If they humiliate him then they humiliate also the more than 2 million Catalans who voted yes in the referendum,” she said.
On Wednesday several hundred separatist supporters accompanied some of those due to appear in the Madrid court to Barcelona’s main train station, chanting “liberty” and “you are not alone”. On Wednesday, several hundred separatist supporters accompanied some of those due to appear in the Madrid court to Barcelona’s main train station, chanting “liberty” and “you are not alone”.
But Catalans remain deeply divided about independence, polls indicate.But Catalans remain deeply divided about independence, polls indicate.
The international community has swung firmly behind Rajoy, and uncertainty about Catalonia’s future has prompted companies to move their legal headquarters outside the region.The international community has swung firmly behind Rajoy, and uncertainty about Catalonia’s future has prompted companies to move their legal headquarters outside the region.
In addition, there are signs of growing divisions in the separatist camp, with many unhappy with Puigdemont and his handling of the situation.In addition, there are signs of growing divisions in the separatist camp, with many unhappy with Puigdemont and his handling of the situation.
Joan Josep Nuet, a Catalan parliamentary deputy due to go before the supreme court, said on Wednesday that a no-show by Puigdemont raised the risk that those who do come will be put in preventive custody. Joan Josep Nuet, a Catalan parliamentary deputy due to go before the supreme court, said on Wednesday that a no-show by Puigdemont raised the risk that those who did come would be put in preventive custody.
“The attitude of the [Catalan] president and the government in recent days has been really absurd, managing only to create yet more bewilderment,” Nuet told Catalunya Radio.“The attitude of the [Catalan] president and the government in recent days has been really absurd, managing only to create yet more bewilderment,” Nuet told Catalunya Radio.
Fernando Vallespin, a political scientist in Madrid, said he believed Puigdemont, a former journalist, was “more interested in obtaining media attention than escaping justice”.Fernando Vallespin, a political scientist in Madrid, said he believed Puigdemont, a former journalist, was “more interested in obtaining media attention than escaping justice”.
“It’s a media war. The aim of [the Catalan executive] has been to try and present the Spanish state as an oppressor state and Puigdemont needs to feed this narrative,” he said.“It’s a media war. The aim of [the Catalan executive] has been to try and present the Spanish state as an oppressor state and Puigdemont needs to feed this narrative,” he said.
Rajoy has called snap elections for 21 December to replace the Catalan parliament. Puigdemont said he would “respect” the result – and appealed to Madrid to do the same. Rajoy has called snap elections for 21 December to replace the Catalan parliament. Puigdemont said he would respect the result and appealed to Madrid to do the same.
Agence France-Presse contributed to this report.