Spain rejects Belgium’s summons of judge Llarena

The Spanish judiciary is to resist Belgium’s attempt to summon Pablo Llarena, the judge overseeing the case against Catalan pro-independence leaders, following a lawsuit filed by former president Carles Puigdemont and other politicians seeking refuge abroad.

A judge in Madrid has rejected a petition from Belgium calling on Llarena to appear in court on September 4, calling the demand “wrongful.” “[Llarena is] acting within the framework of Spain’s sovereignty,” said judge Antonio Viejo, who added that other countries’ attorneys “cannot evaluate judicial investigations by European colleagues following a simple petition by the accused.”