The Germans act as the EU's polizei

Ex-Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont detained in Germany

RT,

25 March, 2018

Carles Puigdemont has been detained in Germany, according to the former Catalan president’s lawyer.

An arrest warrant had been issued for Puigdemont in Finland after the former president visited the country for talks with lawmakers. He was returning to Belgium, where he lives in self-imposed exile, when he was detained by German authorities after crossing the border from Denmark.

“First Minister Carles Puigdemont has been detained in Germany when he was crossing the border from Denmark,” Jaume Alonso-Cuevillas, Puigdemont’s lawyer, tweeted Sunday. Puigdemont is now said to be in a police station awaiting his legal team. German police have confirmed the arrest. It is unclear where Puigdemont is being held.

Protesters took to the streets of Barcelona to protest Puidgement's arrest Sunday.

J. Alonso-Cuevillas@JaumeAlonsoCuev

1. El president Carles Puigdemont ha estat retingut a Alemanya quan creuava la frontera des de Dinamarca, de camí cap a Bèlgica des de Finlàndia.

11:27 PM - Mar 25, 2018

• 1,872
• 4,454 people are talking about this

Twitter Ads info and privacy

J. Alonso-Cuevillas@JaumeAlonsoCuev

Replying to @JaumeAlonsoCuev

2. El tracte ha estat correcte en tot moment. Hores d'ara es troba en una comissaria i la seva defensa jurídica ja està activada.

11:28 PM - Mar 25, 2018

• 1,151
• 1,170 people are talking about this

Puigdemont fled Finland after authorities there confirmed they had received an extradition request from Spain. “Spain has requested extradition of its national, who is currently visiting Finland,” the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation said in a statement on Saturday. “The police have reported to the prosecutor and have engaged in the exchange of additional information with Spanish authorities.”

Catalonia’s rebels: The jailed, exiled & persecuted independence leaders — RT World News

When Catalonia, after a referendum, decided to become independent from Spain, Madrid responded with a swift and thorough crackdown. Politicians and activists were scooped up by the dozen, and 25 are...

A European arrest warrant for Puigdemont and a number of his aides was issued by the Spanish Supreme Court Friday. Puigdemont is wanted on charges of rebellion and sedition after leading a pro-independence referendum deemed illegal by the Spanish government late last year.

RT

✔@RT_com

What happened to #Catalonia’s rebels after that referendum? The jailed, exiled & persecuted independence leaders https://on.rt.com/91qv 

6:45 AM - Mar 24, 2018

Catalonia’s rebels: The jailed, exiled & persecuted independence leaders — RT World News

When Catalonia, after a referendum, decided to become independent from Spain, Madrid responded with a swift and thorough crackdown. Politicians and activists were scooped up by the dozen, and 25 are...

rt.com

• 68
• 85 people are talking about this

The vote led to riots across the region amid accusations of police violence. Puidgemont fled the region in the wake of the vote. A number of his colleagues have spent time in jail and are now facing trial.

This is what the fascist EU (and Germany in particular) is defending. Turns out that the EU is a club that is easily entered but cannot be left without punishment.

This is a reminder of events last year in Catalonia.

840+ injured in conflicts with Spanish police sen tin to prevent referendum

A vote in Catalonia

Catalan secessionist parties secure absolute majority in snap vote

RT,,
21 December, 2017

Pro-independence parties have again secured an absolute majority in the Catalan parliament, with former regional leader Carles Puigdemont poised to regain the power he had been stripped of by Madrid.

With over 99.5 percent of the votes counted, the trio of pro-independence parties: the Together for Catalonia (JxCat), headed by deposed regional president Puigdemont, the Esquerra Republicana (ERC) and the Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP) are likely to secure 70 parliamentary seats collectively, with 68 required for an absolute majority in the 135-seat assembly.

Although the Citizens Party won the election by a small margin in terms of vote share, it will only pick up 37 seats, and unlikely to form a unionist majority.

READ MORE: Hungry for independence? Pollster bypasses Catalan election ban by using food survey

While the preliminary results signal a likely victory for the secessionists, it shows a great rift among Catalans on the question of independence. The unionist and pro-independence parties are only separated by a couple percent of votes.

The snap elections were called by Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy in October, in the aftermath of the independence referendum deemed illegal by Madrid. The October 1 independence plebiscite was marred by a central government sanctioned police crackdown on voters.

Madrid tried to downplay the violence, claiming that media materials on the chaotic referendum, contained “fake pictures.” The actions of Madrid, however, were condemned by several international organizations, including Human Rights Watch.

The NGO analyzed photos and videos from the day pf the referendum and concluded they depicted “disproportionate use of force” against peaceful demonstrators “expressing their political opinion.”

Following the declaration of independence by the Catalan government late in October, Spain responded by suspending the region’s autonomy and dismissing its government. Several pro-independence politicians were jailed, while deposed president Puigdemont managed to flee to Brussels. He had said that he would return to Catalonia if he wins. His supporters, however, fear he might be arrested, since Madrid has accused the politician of inciting a rebellion and misusing public funds.

‘Catalan Republic has beaten monarchy’: Puigdemont claims victory as unionists blame ‘unfair’ law

Deposed Catalan president Carles Puigdemont has hailed a victory of democracy, while the leader of pro-unionist Citizens Party has blamed “unfair” laws for their inability to form a majority.

“I want to congratulate the Catalan people, because they have sent a message to the world. The Catalan republic has beaten the monarchy and article 155. The Spanish state has been beaten. Mr Rajoy and his allies have lost,” Puigdemont said from Brussels where he is hiding from Spanish authorities.

“Now we need to restore democracy, restore our legitimate government, our freedoms. We need to free all those people who are still in prison, but should not be,” he added.

Arrest warrant issued for Catalan's Puigdemont

Spanish judge issues European arrest warrant for ousted Catalan leader Puigdemont

RT,

3 November, 2017

A Spanish judge has issued a European arrest warrant for ousted Catalan President Carles Puigdemont. The leader’s request to testify by videoconference has been rejected.

Puigdemont is currently in Belgium, where he went after Madrid sacked his government. International arrest warrants have also been issued for four of his associates.

Together with Puigdemont they face charges of rebellion, sedition, misuse of public funds and breach of trust. On Thursday, ex-Catalan Vice President Oriol Junqueras and seven other former regional ministers were jailed without the opportunity to post bail.

READ MORE: Catalonia’s Puigdemont vows to respect December 21 election in Brussels speech

Belgium’s prosecutors have already received the arrest warrant for Puigdemont and will “study it,” before passing it to a judge.

“We will study it and we will give it to an investigative judge, maybe tomorrow or the day after tomorrow,” federal prosecutor Van der Sypt told Reuters.

 

Spain's constitutional court cancels Catalonia declaration of independence

Earlier Friday, Puigdemont told Belgium’s RTBF broadcaster that his prompt departure for Brussels was not actually “fleeing” Catalonia, as he was ready to participate in the snap elections Madrid scheduled following the crackdown on his regional government.

“We can run a campaign anywhere because we're in a globalized world,” he stated, adding that he is seeking to engage in “true justice” in Belgium and “not in the Spanish justice,” while his prompt departure was needed to prepare for his legal defense. “Violence was never an option for us,” Puigdemont said.

The ousted Catalan leader also said that he still considered himself and the jailed former ministers the legitimate government of the region.

“We consider ourselves a legitimate government,” Puigdemont said. “There must be a continuity to tell the world what's going on in Spain... It's not with a government in jail that the elections will be neutral, independent, normal.”

The arrests of the ousted ministers prompted pro-independence rallies in Catalonia, including one that took place in Barcelona outside the City Council on Friday. Two Catalan separatist groups, the Catalan National Assembly (ANC) and Omnium Cultural, whose leaders were jailed last month over sedition charges, called for a general strike in the region next Wednesday and mass demonstrations next Saturday.