Courts differ in criteria
Lamela assumes risk of flight and repeated criminal activity continues; Supreme Court accepts explanations offered in defence and allows bail
Yesterday morning the judge Carmen Lamela refused to release the vice-president of the Catalan government, Oriol Junqueras and ministers Dolors Bassa, Carles Mondó, Raül Romeva, Joaquim Forn, Meritxell Borràs, Jordi Turull and Josep Rull, who have been in prisons in Madrid since November 2. Her ruling is not yet available as yesterday was a bank holiday in Madrid. So far, all that is known is that the judge has confirmed her position maintaining the risk of flight and possible repeated criminal activity by the ministers, who, despite being dismissed by the Spanish government are accused of being part of an organised group behind a “secessionist movement” in Catalonia. The next move from the defence will be to appeal to the judicial Chamber of the Audiencia Nacional, consisting of five judges, including Lamela.
Supreme Court
At around 10 pm last night, Supreme Court judge Pablo Llarena declared conditional liberty for the members of the House Committee except for Joan Josep Nuet , who was freed without bail and in the case of Lluís Corominas, Lluís Guinó, Anna Simó and Ramona Barrufet, bail was set at €25,000. They will have seven days to pay.
As for the Speaker, Carme Forcadell, she faces suspended imprisonment with bail set at €150,000. All the accused gave evidence and accepted the imposition of Article 155. On the issue of the Unilateral Declaration of Independence, Forcadell refered to this as “political and symbolic” rather than juridic.
The result is that now two national courts have adopted differing criteria for the same case.