– Catalan President Puigdemont on his way to a Spanish Jail:
Puigdemont and four consellers arrested after surrendering in police station
BRUSSELS – The prosecutor’s office in Brussels was preparing to order his arrest in order to appoint a judge.
Belgium has not accepted the petition for political assilum and in doing so, it has condemned the Catalan leaders to face jail time imposed by the Madrid regime.
The former President of the Generalitat Carles Puigdemont and the four exconsellers who accompany him in Brussels showed up on Sunday at 9.17 in the morning to declare in a police station in Brussels, from where they have been transferred in several cars to the public prosecutor’s office.
This afternoon an investigating judge will take a statement. Within 24 hours – before 9.17 am tomorrow – the judge must decide whether to release them or keep the arrest to comply with the euro order.
“From the moment they are deprived of their liberty, they will be able to appear before a judge,” explained the Prosecutor General’s Office, who stated that he is in contact with Puigdemont’s lawyers and the four ex-members of the former regional government who have been sent to Belgium: Antoni Comín (Health) , Clara Ponsatí (Teaching), Lluís Puig (Culture) and Meritxell Serret (Agriculture).
False charges of Sedition, rebellion and embezzlement
The Spanish authorities demand the five Catalan politicians for alleged crimes of sedition, rebellion and embezzlement of public funds.
Now, the examining magistrate must decide whether or not to accept the euro order and, in doing so, will keep the accused in pretrial detention or release them under “certain conditions”.
The procedure for delivery to Spain, where the aforementioned Catalan politicians are claimed by the National Court, can theoretically take a total of 60 days, and another 30 days in exceptional cases.
Most Catalans Reject Incarceration of Elected leaders
The belligerent judicial action against the president Puigdemont and his government, which has now resulted in the imprisonment of Vice President Junqueras and seven consellers, is rejected by almost 60% of those consulted by GAD3 after the imprisonment of eight consellers.
If until last Thursday, the support to the judicial action against Puigdemont touched 40% and the rejection was located in 53%, the arrests of the members of the Government increased the rejection by six points, according to the results of the interviews made from that moment on.
Yet, 35% of those consulted still believe that the action against Puigdemont is justified. More than 33% endorse even the accusations of rebellion.
The positions hardly vary before the imputation of a crime of rebellion to the Government. There, the rejection is also close to 60% of those consulted, while the support hardly exceeds 33%.
Again, the intention to vote marks the positions, which are very similar to those registered against the legal action against Puigdemont.
In the case of the accusation of the crime of sedition that hangs over the presidents of the ANC and Òmnium, Jordi Sànchez and Jordi Cuixart, 59% reject that imputation while 31% endorse it.
Finally, the greatest unanimity is registered around the electoral effects that the unexpected imprisonment of Junqueras and the seven consellers can have.
More than 69% are convinced that this measure will increase support for the pro-independence parties in the upcoming 21 December elections. And only 19% believe otherwise.
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