Judge in charge of independence case “not objective,” says Puigdemont’s Belgian lawyer

Carles Puigdemont’s Belgian lawyer, Paul Bekaert, has questioned the objectivity of the Spanish judge in charge of the independence case. According to him, a “political judgement” can be read in the last Spanish Supreme Court judge’s decree of January 22. “If a judge cannot put his own political opinions aside”, he said, “he is independent but not objective.”  

In an interview with the Catalan News Agency, he accused the Spanish Supreme Court judge in charge of the independence case of leading a “political trial,” especially after January 22, when the magistrate rejected reissuing an European arrest warrant against Puigdemont earlier this week saying the Catalan deposed president wanted to be arrested. “You normally consider arresting someone with legal reasons, not of political strategy,” he said.

The Spanish judge argued that Puigdemont was seeking to be behind bars because it would be easier for him to ask for a delegated vote in the Catalan chamber or place a bid to become president again from jail than from Brussels. Indeed, the parliamentary debate to pick a new Catalan leader is to be held next Tuesday at 3pm. Puigdemont is the only candidate for the post, but it is still unclear whether he will try to be sworn in at a distance or turning up in the chamber. If he does return, he will risk being arrested and jailed.