Spain: judge denies bail to deposed Catalan VP

The former Catalan vice-president Oriol Junqueras, former cabinet member Joaquim Forn and two leaders of civic groups were refused bail, according to Spain’s supreme court. 

Six other former members of the Catalan cabinet, detained in custody before an investigation into their part in an illegal unilateral declaration of independence by the then-regional government on 27 October, were set bail of €100,000.

The Catalan leaders’ organisation of an independence vote, on 1 October, and subsequent declaration of independence were both banned under Spain’s constitution.

The central government in Madrid sacked the previous government within hours of the declaration and called a regional election for 21 December.

The eight former members of the cabinet were kept in custody on 2 November, facing potential charges of sedition, rebellion and misappropriation of funds.

They have since called to be released, to campaign for the election.

The former leader of the Catalan government, Carles Puigdemont, and four of his disbanded cabinet, are in self-imposed exile in Belgium under conditional release after an international arrest warrant was served against them.

On Monday, Spain’s supreme court refused bail for Junqueras, Forn and leaders of the Catalan civic groups Assemblea Nacional Catalana (ANC) and Omnium Cultural, Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart.

In a court statement, the judge ruled that, while he considered there was no risk the defendants would leave the country, he did believe there was a risk of criminal reiteration.

Campaigning for the election, with Junqueras at the head of the list for his ERC party, begins on Tuesday. Polls have shown that support for independence is running in a dead heat with support for continued unity with Spain.