Spanish Court Sets Bail for Catalan Speaker Detained Over Independence Bid

The Catalan lawmakers are on trial in Madrid for sedition and rebellion after a vast majority of those who turned out for the October 1 referendum in the northeastern region of Catalonia voted for a split from Spain.

MADRID (Sputnik) — Spain’s Supreme Court judge ordered Thursday to detain Catalan parliament speaker Carme Forcadell until she pays 150,000 euros ($174,600) in bail for her role in the region’s push for independence.

Four other senior parliamentary officials were allowed to walk free but were told to pay each 25,000 euros of bail money within a week, according to a court statement.

State prosecutors demanded arrest or 6.2 million euros in bail for Forcadell and three other legislators. She appeared in court for a hearing on Thursday, saying the vote was symbolic and recognizing Spain's right to impose direct rule over Catalonia.

Earlier, The former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont has surrendered to the Belgian authorities, but was later released and is now waiting for Brussels to decide on his extradition to Spain, with the court hearing expected to be held on November 17.

After the Catalan Parliament had voted in October in favor of secession from Spain, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy dimissed Puigdemont, who has refused to recognize the dismissal of the government and called for "democratic resistance" after Madrid invoked Article 155 imposing direct rule over the region.