'The sentence is already written,' says former MP to judge heading independence case

The former CUP MP Mireia Boya, harshly criticized the judicial case against pro-independence leaders – herself among them – before the judge presiding over the case, Pablo Llarena. During a hearing in the Spanish Supreme Court, in Madrid, she told the magistrate that the sentence for the case “is already written.” “The real trial will be before international authorities,” she added. Boya also accused the judge of having “lack of impartiality” in the case and also told him that what happened in Parliament last year, including the declaration of independence, was part of “legal” electoral manifestoes.

"No one should be prosecuted for rebellion"

Boya also criticized the “paradoxes” of the judicial case. According to her, the fact that the former Catalan Parliament president, Carme Forcadell, is being prosecuted for rebellion, while she herself is only accused of disobedience is a contradiction. According to her, the judge asked her whether she wanted to be prosecuted for rebellion –carrying up to 30 years in jail– instead of disobedience, which carries no prison sentence. “I responded that on the contrary, no one should be prosecuted for rebellion, because the only existing violence was the one displayed by the Spanish officers,” she told the press after the hearing.

Deposed ministers in court

Forcadell allowed discussion in the chamber on topics registered by pro-independence forces, such as Boya’s CUP party. The far-left party was led by Boya in parliament, in the past controversial term. Mireia Boya was given her indictment act, along with the deposed Catalan ministers also not accused of rebellion Meritxell Borràs and Carles Mundó. The former minister Santi Vila also appeared in court, but none of the three leaders made any statement before the judge. They are being prosecuted for disobedience and misuse of funds, which might carry up to 8 years behind bars. Thirteen more leaders are accused of rebellion, with nine of them being in pre-trial jail and the other four abroad.