Catalonia: Puigdemont President denounced "political trial" and was called to silence

Oriol Junqueras, the main defendant of the separatist leaders judged by the Spanish Supreme Court for attempted independence, announced Thursday early in his statement that he would not answer questions from the prosecution, he is considered a "political prisoner".

"I was appointed vice-president of the Government of Catalonia and I was dismissed from my duties by the 155. I consider myself a political prisoner," Junqueras said.

"I am accused by my ideas and not by my facts and understand that I am in a political trial and as I am an elected representative, I will not answer the questions of the charges, "said Junqueras, regional vice president during the secession attempt in October 2017.

Accused of rebellion and embezzlement by the prosecution, which claims for him 25 years in prison, the former number two of former President Carles Puigdemont and leader of the ERC separatist party fifteen months in pre-trial detention.

In answering your lawyer's questions "after year and a half of forced silence", Junqueras was defined as "a political prisoner" who has always wanted to promote "the most inclusive projects possible" and badured that he would continue to try to give an outlet to the claims of independence "whatever the outcome of this process".

And on the controversial question of whether there was or was not violence in the unsuccessful attempt to secede from Catalan, Junqueras said the accusations "divert the discussion".

"If we are read, listened to, our actions are observed, no one can have the slightest doubt about the fact that we have always rejected violence," said the former regional vice president.

"Nothing we did is a crime, nothing, absolutely nothing. Voting in a referendum is not a crime, working for independence in a peaceful way is not a crime"he insisted.

Independent left since his childhood, this 49-year-old historian and former university professor is the first of twelve defendants to report in this historic process for Spanish justice.

The governments of Puigdemont and Junqueras organized on 1 October 2017 a illegal referendum of self-determination, marked by violence by the police to prevent it.

Four weeks later, on October 27, the members of the Regional Parliament proclaimed, on the basis of this vote, an independent republic recognized by no country and quickly frustrated by the Spanish government, which dismissed the Catalan authorities and took administrative control of the region. .