Spain to issue arrest warrant for Catalan leader

Spain's public prosecutor has asked a judge to issue an arrest warrant for exiled disputed Catalan president Carles Puigdemont.

Mr Puigdemont has fled to Belgium and refused to attend a court hearing in Madrid relating to charges of sedition and rebellion for his part in Catalonia's declaration of independence.

Earlier, the judge questioned nine other Catalan ex-ministers and prosecutors asked for eight to be jailed unconditionally and one given the chance to pay bail.

The National Court has been questioning ousted Catalan government members but a parallel Supreme Court session for six Catalan politicians was postponed for a week.

Twenty regional politicians, including fired regional government president Mr Puigdemont, were called to appear.

It came after the chief prosecutor demanded they be charged with rebellion, sedition and embezzlement following the Catalan parliament's declaration of secession October 27.

The crimes are punishable by up to 30 years in prison under Spanish law.

The group summoned includes Mr Puigdemont's 13-member former Cabinet and six parliamentary board members.

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But Mr Puigdemont remained in Brussels along with four of his former ministers.

Speaking in Madrid on Thursday supreme court president Carlos Lesmes said: "When someone doesn't appear after being cited by a judge to testify, in Spain or any other EU country, normally an arrest warrant is issued."

In a statement the exiled Catalan government, which has had its powers suspended by Spanish authorities, denounced the “political trial” which it said was “without a legal basis that only seeks to punish ideas”.

He said he and his colleagues would remain in Brussels “not to evade justice but to demand it”, criticising the court’s planned “disproportionate penalties equivalent to murder or terrorism”.

Mr Puigdemont spoke to a packed press conference in Brussels on Tuesday where he said the Spanish government was intent on seeking “vengence” against him.

Though he has said he will not formally claim asylum in the country, the president has hired a Belgian lawyer with experience in resisting extradition attempts.

The lawyer, Paul Bekaert, told Spain’s TV3 channel: “He will not go to Madrid and I have suggested that he be questioned here in Belgium.”

The Madrid government has called snap Catalan regional elections for 21 December in order to elect a new Catalan parliament, after the current one voted to declare independence.

The Catalan separatists have said they will accept the result of the polls.

Source:AFP