Court hearings in Spain and Brussels

Today is a big day – several important court cases all are happening now.

It has just this moment been announced that four of the Catalan prisoners will remain in jail – the two Jordis, Oriol Junqueres and Joaquim Forn. The others have been released on 100.000 euros bail each.

The case was being held because of a change in jurisdiction from one court to another and the hope was that this latest court would be less political and more judicial. Hundreds of lawyers from all over Spain have written to state their opinion that the charges of sedition were unlawful because they can be used only when there was violence involved.

As we all know by now the only violence has been on the part of the Spanish state through their police the Guardia Civil and also from the ultra-right demonstrators when they have been encouraged to protest that they want one united Spain.

The Catalan independence campaign has been completely peaceful and democratic, even though it was taking a stand against what the Spanish government considered legal.

But, in the last five minutes, surprise surprise, the new judge has accused the four who remain in prison of…..violence.

Meanwhile in Brussels

Carles Puigdemont and four members of his government are now appearing in a Belgian court for the hearing on their case against extradition.

Puigdemont and the four ministers of his administration will be able to speak and advance the arguments against being sent to Spain. Clearly no trial they faced there would be free of political influence.

I just hope that those long fingers from the Spanish government haven’t managed to meddle in Belgian justice.