Catalan ex-leader denies seeking asylum in Belgium

BRUSSELS - Catalonia's deposed separatist leader Carles Puigdemont said he has no plans to seek asylum in Belgium as prosecutors in Spain demanded he face criminal charges over the region's failed independence bid.

Spanish State Prosecutor Jose Manuel Maza on Monday announced that Puigdemont and the members of his government who were responsible for last Friday's declaration of independence will be investigated for a series of crimes including rebellion, sedition and the misappropriation of public funds.

Puigdemont and his government were sacked on Friday by Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy following the approval of Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution, which suspended the autonomy of the Catalan region and handed control of key institutions to Madrid pending new elections on Dec 21.

The former leader and his deputy Oriol Junqueras will be investigated by the Spanish High Court, while other former members of Puigdemont's government face action in the Spanish Supreme Court.

The prosecutor named a total of 20 people in his accusation, but didn't say whether any of them could be remanded in custody while the investigations proceed, limiting himself to commenting that any decision would be made during their court appearances and according to "the seriousness of the deeds" under investigation.

According to Spanish law, the crime of rebellion is for those who rise "violently and publicly" in order to "repeal, suspend or modify the (Spanish) Constitution partly or in full" or "declare the independence of part of national territory".

It carried a possible prison term of between 15 to 25 years and was last used in Spain against those involved in the attempted military coup in February 1981.

The crime of sedition carried a possible maximum prison term of 15 years.

Puigdemont had arrived in Belgium on Monday to seek advice from Paul Bekaert, a lawyer who specializes in asylum issues.

Belgium allows asylum requests by citizens of other European Union nations.

'Not invited'

Spanish media reported that Puigdemont had traveled with several members of his axed government.

Belgium's immigration minister, a member of the Flemish separatist N-VA party, suggested on Saturday that Puigdemont could receive asylum.

But Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel later poured cold water on the idea, and an N-VA spokesperson said the party had not invited Puigdemont to Brussels.

Puigdemont maintained that the result of the banned independence referendum on Oct 1 gave the region's parliament a mandate to declare on Friday that it was breaking away from Spain.

Following this declaration, Madrid sacked Catalan's leaders and took control of the semiautonomous region under a previously unused "nuclear option" in the Constitution.

Rajoy called snap elections for Dec 21 to replace the Catalan parliament in a bid to stop the secessionist drive.

Xinhua - Ap

(China Daily 11/01/2017 page12)