Catalan leaders to remain in jail at least until Monday awaiting decision on their release

The Spanish Supreme Court postponed the decision on whether to release the jailed Catalan leaders until Monday next week, according to investigative sources. Still, Spain's Attorney General maintained the request of preemptive imprisonment for the eight Catalan government members, as well as the two pro-independence civil society leaders.

The ten leaders were preemptively jailed for their role in Catalonia’s push for independence. They appeared before judge Pablo Llanera on Friday, who is expected to reassess the precautionary measures imposed when the accused were still being tried at the National Court. Llanera reportedly told defendants that the decision would not be made until Monday.

The hearing ended past 1pm, after all the hearings concluded. The accused did not answer Llanera’s questions, and only responded to their lawyers.

The highest-ranking incarcerated official, vice president Oriol Junqueras, was the first person to appear before the judge at 9:30am. His hearing lasted 20 minutes. Ministers Raül Romeva, Dolors Bassa, Joaquim Forn, Meritxell Borràs, Josep Rull and Jordi Turull came next, followed by grassroots leaders Jordi Cuixart and Jordi Sánchez.

Llanera could reassess the precautionary measures imposed by the National Court after taking over the case two weeks ago. So far, Llanera has dictated less severe measures than his counterpart at the National Court, Carmen Lamela: while Lamela sent ten people to jail, Llanera only imprisoned Catalan Parliament president Carme Forcadell, who was then released after paying a €150,000 bail.

All the government officials were dismissed by the Spanish government following a declaration of independence on October 27. They were subsequently accused of rebellion by Spain’s Attorney General — charges that carry a prison sentence of up to 30 years. On November 2, Lamela sent them to prison without the bail pending trial.

In the past days, defense attorneys presented allegations against the preemptive imprisonment arguing that the dismissed ministers no longer hold any office, and therefore there is no risk of them repeating the offenses. Additionally, the fact that many of them are running as candidates for pro-independence parties in the December 21 election should be seen as a proof that there is no risk of them posing a flight risk, attorneys said.

However, the Attorney General stressed that both flight risk as well as the possibility of them repeating the alleged crimes still exist, and therefore all the accused should remain behind bars.