Eight Catalan ministers jailed over regional independence

Last updated: November 2, 2017 at 21:54 pm

Sacked ministers from Catalonia's regional parliament have been jailed after last week's declaration of independence.

Eight out of nine former ministers have been held by the court in Madrid.

A European arrest warrant for ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont has been requested by Spain's state prosecutor, as well as for four politicians who did not show up.

Puigdemont and the others have been in Belgium since Monday. They have said that they will not return to Spain unless they receive guarantees of a fair trial.

However, no specific demands have been made.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy imposed direct rule on Catalonia last week, dissolving the regional parliament and calling local elections for 21 December.

A referendum on the issue of independence was held on 1 October, creating a constitutional crisis in Spain.

The vote went ahead even though it was deemed illegal by a constitutional court ruling.