Judge Frees Some Jailed Catalan Separatists, but Holds Others<br />4, 2017<br />MADRID — A Spanish judge on Monday ordered the release on bail of six Catalan separatist politicians,<br />just three weeks before regional elections, while keeping four others in custody.<br />The Supreme Court took over the case of Mr. Junqueras<br />and the other separatist leaders after they were jailed without bail by a judge on the National Court, the country’s highest criminal court.<br />Two of the separatist leaders were jailed by a different Spanish judge in mid-October for orchestrating a protest in<br />September against Spanish police officers who had raided a Catalan government building and detained some officials.<br />Mr. Puigdemont’s lawyer told the Belgian news media on Saturday<br />that the five former Catalan ministers were likely to stay in Belgium until after the Catalan elections on Dec. 21, and possibly even until mid-January.<br />Separatists, including Mr. Puigdemont, the former Catalan leader, have argued<br />that Spain’s judiciary jailed Catalan leaders unjustifiably on political grounds.<br />Most Catalan separatist politicians have recently softened their positions, recognizing Mr. Rajoy’s right to<br />impose direct rule on the region, which he did on Oct. 27 after separatist lawmakers voted for independence.
