World
21:48, 04-Nov-2017
Barcelona: Independence supporters demand liberty for jailed separatist leaders
["europe"]
Share
Copied
Thousands of Catalan independence supporters gathered in Barcelona on Friday to protest against the decision of a judge to jail former members of the Catalan government.
Demonstrators held banners reading in Catalan "freedom for the political prisoners" and waved pro-independence flags as they gathered in Sant Jaume Square in Barcelona.
Also on Friday, a Spanish judge issued an international arrest warrant for former members of the Catalan Cabinet who were last seen in Brussels, including the ousted separatist leader Carles Puigdemont, who said he was prepared to run for his old job even while battling extradition in Belgium.
The arrest warrant came a day after the same judge jailed nine former members of Puigdemont's separatist government.
All members of the ousted Cabinet were ordered to appear at Spain's National Court on Thursday to answer questions in a rebellion investigation. Five of them, including Puigdemont, didn't show up.
Spanish prosecutors want to charge members of the dismissed regional government - as well as six additional members of the regional parliament - for promoting official steps to declaring Catalonia's independence.
8815km
Source(s): AP