Catalan independence leaders summoned to court

The judicial case against Catalan independence went ahead on Tuesday. This, while Spanish courts started to summon pro-independence leaders accused of rebellion, and as the declaration of independence voted at the Catalan Parliament on October 27 was preemptively suspended by the Constitutional Court.

Catalan Parliament president Carme Forcadell and members of the chamber’s bureau were called to speak in the Supreme Court on November 2 and 3. Spain’s Attorney General, José Manuel Maza, accused them of rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds, among others.

On Monday, Maza filed charges against 20 Catalan government and Parliament high-ranking officials — including president Carles Puigdemont — who had moved forward with independence plans, despite opposition from the Spanish government. In response, Madrid triggered Article 155 of the Constitution, moving to suspend self-rule in Catalonia and taking over the executive.