Spanish judge grants 5 Catalonia Independence leaders bail

Judge Pablo Llarena of the Spanish Supreme Court has granted five Catalonia independence leaders bail including Carme Forcadell, a pro-independence activist and former speaker of the Catalonia Parliament.

However, reports say after posting the 150,000 euro (U.S. $175,000) bond, Forcadell has been allowed to go home according to his lawyer, Andreu Van der Eynde.

The Supreme Court judge while explaining his decision to grant the five independence leaders bail, said: “All the accused … have expressed they would either renounce future political activity or those who will remain active, will do it within the (Spanish) constitutional framework.”

Read also: Spanish court annuls Catalonia’s independence declaration

Two pacifist activists, Jordi Sanchez, the president of the Catalunya National Assembly (ANC) and Jordi Cuixart, the president of Omnium Cultural, are currently being held in prison as part of the same inquiry.

Eight former Catalan government members have also been detained since last week. They are not part of the group granted bail by Llarena Thursday.

Spanish authorities are however still pushing for the extradition of former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont and five of his former ministers who are all still in Belgium.

The sacked Catalan leaders are all scheduled to appear in court in Brussels on Nov. 17.

 

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