President Artur Mas, indicted in independence vote case, to testify on October 15
The day set for his testimony coincides with the 75th anniversary of the execution of president Companys
Artur Mas, president of the Catalan government, former
vice president Joana Ortega, and minister Irene Rigau have been indicted
by the Superior Court of Catalonia as part of its probe into the
symbolic vote on independence from Spain held in Catalonia on 9
November, 2014.
vice president Joana Ortega, and minister Irene Rigau have been indicted
by the Superior Court of Catalonia as part of its probe into the
symbolic vote on independence from Spain held in Catalonia on 9
November, 2014.
The three politicians have been charged with four counts
of gross disobedience, prevarication, embezzlement of public funds, and
usurpation of functions for their role in the organizing of the
participatory process to decide the political future of Catalonia. The
charges brought against Mas, Ortega, and Rigau come two days after
parliamentary elections in Catalonia handed a victory to the separatist
movement.
of gross disobedience, prevarication, embezzlement of public funds, and
usurpation of functions for their role in the organizing of the
participatory process to decide the political future of Catalonia. The
charges brought against Mas, Ortega, and Rigau come two days after
parliamentary elections in Catalonia handed a victory to the separatist
movement.
The court has set the date for Mas’s testimony for 15
October, a day that marks the 75th anniversary of the execution by
firing squad of Catalan president Lluis Companys, during the Spanish
Civil War. Rigau’s and Ortega’s testimony will be two days earlier, on
October 13. Several witnesses will also be called to the stand.
October, a day that marks the 75th anniversary of the execution by
firing squad of Catalan president Lluis Companys, during the Spanish
Civil War. Rigau’s and Ortega’s testimony will be two days earlier, on
October 13. Several witnesses will also be called to the stand.
Before the 9-N vote, the right-wing organization Manos
Limpias (Clean Hands), the political party Unión Progreso y Democracia
(Unity, Progress, and Democracy), and other groups, filed a lawsuit
against Mas, Ortega, and Rigau. Prosecutors brought charges against them
a few days later. The Superior Court of Catalonia consolidated the
charges into one case.
Limpias (Clean Hands), the political party Unión Progreso y Democracia
(Unity, Progress, and Democracy), and other groups, filed a lawsuit
against Mas, Ortega, and Rigau. Prosecutors brought charges against them
a few days later. The Superior Court of Catalonia consolidated the
charges into one case.
Several weeks ago, defence attorneys for Mas, Ortega, and
Rigau requested that witness testimonies be postponed until after their
clients’ testimony had been heard, and for this to be after the
elections in order to avoid interfering with the electoral process.
Rigau requested that witness testimonies be postponed until after their
clients’ testimony had been heard, and for this to be after the
elections in order to avoid interfering with the electoral process.
Scheduled testimony
Irene Rigau and Joana Ortega will testify on October 13,
at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., respectively. Mas will testify two days later, on
the 15th, at 10 a.m.
at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., respectively. Mas will testify two days later, on
the 15th, at 10 a.m.
The former principal of a secondary school in l’Hospitalet
de Llobregat who refused to allow school property to be used as a
polling station for the 9-N informal vote will also be called as a
witness on 19 October; first scheduled for July, her testimony was
postponed to 21 September, and, amid the election campaign, again
postponed.
de Llobregat who refused to allow school property to be used as a
polling station for the 9-N informal vote will also be called as a
witness on 19 October; first scheduled for July, her testimony was
postponed to 21 September, and, amid the election campaign, again
postponed.
Four other witnesses will also be testifying on 19
October: the administrator of the audiovisual company Focus, which set
up the International Press Centre; the director of CIRE, a public
company funded by the Catalan government, which manufactured
and distributed ballots, envelopes and ballot boxes; an advisor on
public opinion with the Catalan government’s Department of Governance,
who administered and maintained the website www.participa2014.cat; and a
computer technician ‘tasked with coordinating or managing the services
provided by the Centre for Telecommunications and Information
Technology’ of the Catalan government.
October: the administrator of the audiovisual company Focus, which set
up the International Press Centre; the director of CIRE, a public
company funded by the Catalan government, which manufactured
and distributed ballots, envelopes and ballot boxes; an advisor on
public opinion with the Catalan government’s Department of Governance,
who administered and maintained the website www.participa2014.cat; and a
computer technician ‘tasked with coordinating or managing the services
provided by the Centre for Telecommunications and Information
Technology’ of the Catalan government.
As for the two witnesses requested by Manos Limpias—which
is the private prosecutor—the Superior Court of Catalonia has asked the
prosecutor’s office and the defence attorneys to determine their
relevancy to the case and whether they should testify. The prospective
witnesses are the Catalan government’s secretary general for governance,
Francesc Esteve, and the deputy director general of the office of
Economic Management, Recruitment and Heritage, Montserrat Aparicio.
Likewise, the court has also requested that prosecutors and defence
attorneys weigh in on whether to heed the request by the far-right
organization for the Civil Guard to search government offices to seize
documents on the participatory process.
is the private prosecutor—the Superior Court of Catalonia has asked the
prosecutor’s office and the defence attorneys to determine their
relevancy to the case and whether they should testify. The prospective
witnesses are the Catalan government’s secretary general for governance,
Francesc Esteve, and the deputy director general of the office of
Economic Management, Recruitment and Heritage, Montserrat Aparicio.
Likewise, the court has also requested that prosecutors and defence
attorneys weigh in on whether to heed the request by the far-right
organization for the Civil Guard to search government offices to seize
documents on the participatory process.
