Catalan ministers held over ‘ rebellion’ charges

EIGHT former Catalan regional ministers were put behind bars yesterday and arrest warrants were issued for the region’s ousted leader Carles Puigdemont and four members of his sacked cabinet.

Mr Puigdemont, who fled to Brussels with his closest colleagues on Monday, remains at large after ignoring a summons to appear in Spain for questioning.

But eight of his other colleagues were held in custody on the outskirts of Madrid after appearing before the Spanish High Court to answer charges of sedition and rebellion.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy sacked Mr Puigdemont and his government on Friday, hours after the Catalan parliament made a unilateral declaration of independence – a vote boycotted by the opposition and declared illegal by Spanish courts.

Mr Puigdemont had been given until yesterday to hand himself in to authorities in Madrid.

Mr Puigdemont’s lawyer Paul Bekaert confirmed he had remained in Belgium because the situation in Spain was “not good”, but added that he would cooperate with the courts.

He said his client intended to fight any extradition request but did not intend to seek asylum in Belgium.

Mr Puigdemont and his four exiled ministers offered to be interviewed via video from Brussels, claiming that they would not receive a fair trial in Spain.

Those jailed yesterday include the vice president Oriol Junqueras, Home Affairs Minister Joaquim Forn and Foreign Affairs Minister Raul Romeva.

Only the former business minister, Santi Vila, was bailed.