Spain issues arrest warrant for ousted Catalan leader

[rooster59]

Spain issues arrest warrant for ousted Catalan leader

By Rodrigo De Miguel and Robert-Jan Bartunek

 

Sacked Catalan President Carles Puigdemont makes a statement in this still image from video calling for the release of "the legitimate government of Catalonia", after a Spanish judge ordered nine Catalan secessionist leaders to be held in custody pending a potential trial over the region's independence push, in Brussels, Belgium, November 2, 2017. TV3 via REUTERS

 

MADRID/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Spain on Friday issued an arrest warrant on sedition and other charges against Carles Puigdemont, tightening the judicial net around the former Catalan leader who went Brussels after his government was sacked over a declaration of independence.

 

A Madrid High Court judge asked Belgium to arrest Puigdemont and four associates after they ignored a court order to return to Spain on Thursday to answer charges of rebellion, sedition, misuse of public funds, disobedience and breach of trust relating to their secessionist campaign.

 

The judge rejected a request from Puigdemont to testify via video conference from Belgium.

 

In Brussels, a federal prosecutor said Belgian authorities would study the warrant before handing it to a judge. "We will give it to an investigative judge maybe tomorrow or the day after," Eric Van der Sypt told Reuters.

 

Puigdemont, who is considering standing in a snap election in the region on Dec. 21, has said he did not trust Spanish justice but would cooperate with the Belgian courts.

 

Embroiled in Spain's gravest political crisis since the return of democracy in the late 1970s, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy called the election when he took control of Catalonia in response to last week's declaration of independence by its parliament.

 

Belgium, where a European arrest warrant can be blocked for several mainly procedural reasons, will have a maximum of three months to decide whether to send Puigdemont back to Spain.

 

On Thursday, nine members of his sacked cabinet were ordered by the High Court to be held in custody pending an investigation and potential trial.

 

"We consider ourselves a legitimate government," Puigdemont told Belgian state television RTBF on Friday. "There must be a continuity to tell the world what's going on in Spain ... It's not with a government in jail that the elections will be neutral, independent, normal."

 

"... I am ready to be a candidate ... it's possible to run a campaign from anywhere."

 

GENERAL STRIKE CALL

 

The detention of the secessionist leaders and Puigdemont's journey to Belgium have given a new boost to the secessionist camp after cracks had appeared in its ranks.

 

In protest at the jailings, Catalan civic groups Asamblea Nacional Catalana and Omnium Cultural -- whose leaders were imprisoned last month on sedition charges -- called for a general strike on Nov. 8 and a mass demonstration on Nov. 11.

 

Another six Catalan leaders are due to testify on Nov. 9 on the same charges.

 

One member of the dismissed cabinet, Santi Vila, was released after paying bail of 50,000 euros ($58,300) on Friday. The other eight could remain in custody for up to four years.

 

Vila stepped down from the Catalan cabinet before the independence declaration. While he remains a supporter of an secession he has advocated a negotiated solution with the central government.

 

He has said he wanted to stand as the leading candidate for Puigdemont's PdeCat (Catalan Democratic party) in the regional election.

 

Thousands of people staged pro-independence protests on Thursday night in several Catalan towns, and parties forming the current coalition Junts Pel Si (Together For Yes) are pushing to run again on a joint ticket at the election.

 

An opinion poll published on Tuesday showed Junts Pel Si would win in December with 35.2 percent if the vote was held immediately and would likely reach a parliamentary majority if it stuck with its current pact with far-left party CUP.

 

The Spanish government said on Friday it would have no option but to open talks within the law with those who held a majority.

 

"We could offer a new dialogue so that we can fulfil Catalans' aspirations for more autonomy and look into reforming the constitution," Foreign Affairs Minister Alfonso Dastis told French newspaper Le Figaro in an interview.

 

"Some even mention the idea of a federal model so that regions can have more autonomy, including financially."

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-11-04

[Grouse]

Unwise move by Spain

[RuamRudy]

14 minutes ago, Grouse said:

Unwise move by Spain

One in a whole series of unwise moves.

[mfd101]

Rooster one day. Feather duster the next.

[jayboy]

Quite interesting too from a Thailand perspective.A politician wanted for extradition on a number of charges (notionally criminal) but clearly driven by political considerations.It will be instructive to see how the European arrest warrant plays out.

 

On another tack it gives Remainers like myself pause for thought - a major European state in bullying mode while the EC sits meekly silent.

Edited November 4, 2017 by jayboy

[Grouse]

2 hours ago, RuamRudy said:

One in a whole series of unwise moves.

This faux pas was by the judiciary not the executive.

[than]

Spain country of free speech and democracy........

[Baerboxer]

7 hours ago, than said:

Spain country of free speech and democracy........

 

And so it is. It's also a country of law and order.

 

No one stopped politicians campaigning for independence and being voted into the regional assembly on a platform. However, a court ruled their proclamation of a referendum illegal. They chose to ignore the court, break the law and hold the referendum anyway.

That isn't exercising free speech. It's scheming to get your own minority supported agenda through. And not respecting the law in doing so,

 

The EU are right to stay out of an internal Spanish matter. Belgium should respect the warrant.

[Baerboxer]

11 hours ago, jayboy said:

Quite interesting too from a Thailand perspective.A politician wanted for extradition on a number of charges (notionally criminal) but clearly driven by political considerations.It will be instructive to see how the European arrest warrant plays out.

 

On another tack it gives Remainers like myself pause for thought - a major European state in bullying mode while the EC sits meekly silent.

 

Not sure Thai fugitive politicians were driven so much by political consideration as fraud and self enrichment. However treason as the Catalan's are facing is usually considered more serious than fraud and abuse of power.

 

I'm also a Remainer, but think the EU, as all major member states, the US and NATO, are right in supporting the Spanish government. A Spanish government that was elected to represent the whole electorate and not just a minority in one region.

[jayboy]

9 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Not sure Thai fugitive politicians were driven so much by political consideration as fraud and self enrichment. However treason as the Catalan's are facing is usually considered more serious than fraud and abuse of power.

 

I'm also a Remainer, but think the EU, as all major member states, the US and NATO, are right in supporting the Spanish government. A Spanish government that was elected to represent the whole electorate and not just a minority in one region.

The balance of criminality/politics - always subjective - doesn't really signify.If there's a significant political dimension, extradition would be denied.Thaksin and Yingluck will never be extradited - though they won't get asylum either.

 

As to Spain the issue is not Catalonian independence (as you say ther's no international support for it) but rather the violent bullying tactics of Madrid with innocent protestors being attacked.

[jayboy]

9 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

And so it is. It's also a country of law and order.

 

No one stopped politicians campaigning for independence and being voted into the regional assembly on a platform. However, a court ruled their proclamation of a referendum illegal. They chose to ignore the court, break the law and hold the referendum anyway.

That isn't exercising free speech. It's scheming to get your own minority supported agenda through. And not respecting the law in doing so,

 

The EU are right to stay out of an internal Spanish matter. Belgium should respect the warrant.

Nonsense.Conservative politicians all over Europe who reject Catalonian independence, had no support for the referendum and are kindred spirits with the Spanish Government - have condemned Madrid's violent bully boy tactics.

[jayboy]

Looking at the reports today the overriding issue the Belgian judicial authorities have to decide is whether if returned to Spain the Catalonian leaders would receive a fair trial.It seems likely the latter's lawyers will be able to demonstrate they won't.Reverting to Thailand one only has to pose the fair trial question to know what the truth is.That aspect is not up for debate.

 

It's worth pointing out the decision for Belgium is complicated by its own Flemish minority.In practice this could drag out for years.

[wabothai]

if the Catalonians have their way, the Basques are going to be next. Don't blame them.