Judge prosecuting Catalan vice president brings case to higher court

The judge prosecuting the Catalan vice president Pere Aragonès for his role in the referendum on independence is bringing the case to Spain’s High Court in Catalonia (TSJC), a key step before sending him to trial, as he has granted immunity as a member of the parliament.

The case also includes Josep Maria Jové and Lluís Salvadó, also MPs for pro-independence Esquerra (ERC) party. Together with Aragonès, they were the right-hand men of vice president Oriol Junqueras in the government that declared independence last October.

The TSJC will make a decision on the matter in September. If the case goes ahead, and if the court indicts Aragonès, he could become the first minister of the Catalan executive currently in power facing trial for the independence bid.

All government members who declared independence last October were removed from office by Spain. Most of them are currently in pretrial jail, like Junqueras, or seeking refuge in other European countries, like former president Carles Puigdemont.