Spanish judge summons ousted Catalan cabinet to appear in court

A Spanish judge on Tuesday asked the deposed president of the regional government of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont, and the 13 other members of his government to appear in court on Thursday and Friday to testify.

Judge Carmen Lamela gave a deadline of three days to pay a combined deposit against potential penalties of 6.2 million euros (7.2 million U.S. dollars).

The announcement came one day after Spain's Attorney-General Jose Manuel Maza announced on Monday morning that Puigdemont was being sued because of his unilateral declaration of independence last Friday.

The sacked president is being prosecuted for rebellion as well as sedition and misuse of public funds. He could face up to 30 years in prison if found guilty.

Meanwhile, the former speaker of the Catalan Parliament, Carme Forcadell, and five other former members of the Bureau of Parliament must appear in the Spanish High Court on Nov. 2 and 3 for questioning over the same charges.

Puigdemont gave a press conference on Tuesday from Brussels, where he arrived on Monday, and said he was not seeking political asylum there, but came to express himself from the capital of Europe.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)