Supreme Court in Spain will not take immediate decision to release jailed Catalan separatist leader

THE Supreme Court has responded to the Spanish State Attorney’s request to temporarily release jailed Catalan separatist leader Oriol Junqueras.

It is reported that the court will not take an immediate decision on his release, as require time to assess the case and study the requests filed by the Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE). The Supreme Court is expected to give a ruling in the coming weeks.

Yesterday (Monday, December 30), Spain’s state attorney had called for the release of Junqueras, which would allow him to travel to Brussels to take his seat as a European MP. This was widely seen by governmental experts as a gesture of political goodwill as the PSOE sought support to form a government.

In October, Junqueras was sentenced to 13 years in prison over his role in a failed 2017 bid for Catalan independence. However, he was elected into the European Parliament in May while he was in jail awaiting the verdict of his case. Although this was condemned, last month, the European Union’s top court said that Junqueras was entitled to immunity as an EU lawmaker.

Although the Spanish state attorney’s office did state that Junqueras should be allowed to take his seat, it also recommended that any requests to strip him of his immunity should be made as soon as possible so the case against him can be pursued.