Puigdemont tells jailed leaders to “do whatever necessary” to be released
‘You have to leave prison, you should never have been there in the first place,’ says the Catalan president from Belgium
Carles Puigdemont told the ten pro-independence leaders in prison to “do whatever necessary” to be released. They are all testifying on Friday at the Spanish Supreme Court, which is reviewing the precautionary measures ordered by the National Court some weeks ago. From Brussels, Puigdemont made a tweet to support them. “You have to leave prison, you should never have been there in the first place,” he wrote. The Catalan president, deposed by the Spanish government, added that they have to be released because there is “a lot of work to do”.
Need to ‘stand up to’ direct rule
“We need you to stand up to the three [Article] 155 parties,” he said referring to the enforcement of the provision in the Spanish Constitution allowing Spain to take over direct rule of Catalonia. Three parties supported the Spanish executive in this measure against Catalonia’s self-rule, including the People’s Party, the Socialists and Ciudadanos.