{"id":367921,"date":"2017-11-03T06:40:33","date_gmt":"2017-11-03T06:40:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=367921"},"modified":"2017-11-03T06:40:33","modified_gmt":"2017-11-03T06:40:33","slug":"catalan-protest-against-spain-jail-moves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/11\/catalan-protest-against-spain-jail-moves\/","title":{"rendered":"Catalan protest against Spain jail moves"},"content":{"rendered":"
Thousands of Catalans have protested against the detention of eight regional ministers sacked over Catalonia’s push for independence from Spain.<\/p>\n
The officials – who appeared in Spain’s high court – are accused of rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors are also seeking a European Arrest Warrant for ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, who did not show up in court and is now in Belgium.<\/p>\n
The request also covers four other ex-ministers who ignored the summons.<\/p>\n
Spain has been gripped by a constitutional crisis since a referendum on independence from Spain was held in Catalonia on 1 October in defiance of a constitutional court ruling that had declared it illegal.<\/p>\n
Last week, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy imposed direct rule on Catalonia, dissolving the regional parliament and calling local elections for 21 December.<\/p>\n
This came after Catalan lawmakers voted to declare the independence of the affluent north-eastern region.<\/p>\n
The Catalan government said that of the 43% of potential voters who took part in the referendum, 90% were in favour of independence.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, thousands of people gathered outside Catalonia’s regional parliament in Barcelona.<\/p>\n
Many carried Catalan flags and slogans that read “Freedom for political prisoners”.<\/p>\n
Similar protest rallies were held in other Catalan towns.<\/p>\n
Political parties and civic groups in the affluent north-eastern region also condemned the judicial move,<\/p>\n
What happened in Spain’s high court in Madrid?<\/strong><\/p>\n Nine out of 14 summoned Catalan ex-ministers appeared before Judge Carmen Lamela.<\/p>\n She said they had to be detained because they might otherwise leave the country or destroy evidence.<\/p>\n