Pro-independence Catalan leaders to testify in court

Catalan pro-independence grass-root leaders Jordi Sànchez and Jordi Cuixart, and the Catalan home affairs minister Joaquim Forn have been summoned to appear before the Spanish Supreme Court, following a request they submitted to appeal for their release. Thus, the Spanish court will decide on the three Catalan leaders’ freedom tomorrow.

Sànchez and Cuixart were sent to pre-trial prison on October 16, after being charged with "sedition" for having promoted a rally outside the Catalan economy department while being raided by Spanish police on September 20. They are also accused of asking citizens to protest in front of polling stations on October 1 in order to hinder attempts to prevent the independence referendum taking place.

Forn was jailed on November 2, along with six more Catalan ministers, accused of rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds, some days after the Catalan parliament declared independence. Six of the members of the Catalan government, all of them deposed by the Spanish government, were released on bail on December 4, while Forn and Junqueras are still in preventive detention.

The most likely outcome is for them to be kept in jail

Yet, the most likely outcome is for the Catalan leaders to be kept in jail, as the Spanish Supreme Court ruled to keep Junqueras in precautionary jail on January 5. The three magistrates reached the conclusion after Junqueras’ hearing on January 4, since they considered that Junqueras has not “renounced the illegal means” to achieve his political goals. Taking into account Junqueras’ precedent, the most likely is that Sànchez, Cuixart and Forn are also kept in prison.

Sànchez and Forn were also candidates for Together for Catalonia in the December 21 election. Sànchez, who was the number 2 candidate for Puigdemont’s candidacy, requested permission to take part in the electoral campaign. Spain's Supreme Court judge denied it.