Prosecutor asks Supreme judge to activate European arrest warrant if Puigdemont goes to Denmark

The Spanish Prosecutor's Office has asked the Supreme Court to issue another European arrest warrant against Carles Puigemont, should he travel to Denmark for a conference, where he plans to go on Monday.

The deposed Catalan president's lawyer has stated that there is a “fairly high” risk of the deposed Catalan president, currently in Belgium, being arrested during his trip to Denmark, should the Spanish Supreme Court's judge re-issue the European arrest warrant.

Although Jaume Alonso-Cuevillas acknowledged that “there are political, diplomatic, judicial, and police movements at a Spanish level,” he highlighted that they “were not entirely clear.” He believes that the warrant could be issued in time for the visit, but he also said that it is possible Denmark might reject the warrant, even though the crime of rebellion is included in its criminal code.

However, this Saturday, the Spanish justice minister,  Rafael Catalá, that "it is up to the Prosecutor's Office" to make the decision on issuing the warrant or not.

Cuevillas stated that it does not make “a lot of sense” for a new warrant to be issued, after the previous one having been withdrawn. “It does not make sense keeping the charges, which are absolutely unfair,” he said.

Puigdemont's defence also called it “unsual” that the Spanish Prosecutor's Office issued a statement on Saturday saying that parliamentary impunity does not necessarily imply impunity. “Never in my life have I seen that the Prosecutor's Office make a note regarding a case in a preventive manner, the Prosecutor's Office is not who decides how to apply the law, but more a part of the process,” he said.

Regarding Puigdemont's possible reinstatement as president, Cuevillas said that no decision had been made yet on whether he would return to Catalonia or not.  At the moment everyone is very aware of the forcefulness with which Spain is acting," he said. Asked whether a remote investiture can be suspended before it occurs, Cuevillas believes that "legally it is not feasible."

Puigdemont has been in Brussels since October, when the Catalan government was sacked by Spain. A previous European arrest warrant issued against him was withdrawn by the Spanish justice system towards the end of last year. The Spanish Interior Minsiter, Juan Zoido, also warned that Puigdemont could be arrested if he goes to Denmark.