Spain court orders arrest of Catalan separatist in exile

Spain's Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the arrest of a former Catalan MP who is in self-imposed exile in Switzerland to avoid jail while she is investigated over her role in the region's secession drive. Anna Gabriel had been due to appear before the court in Madrid on Wednesday on charges of sedition and rebellion over her alleged role in Catalonia's failed independence push but she failed to turn up. "I won't go to Madrid. I'm wanted for my political activities and the government press has already declared me guilty," she told Swiss daily Le Temps on Tuesday. In a written statement sent to AFP on Wednesday Gabriel said the police searches carried out as part of the investigation "have not provided any evidence" of the crimes she is accused of and merely collect "public statements" she made as a lawmaker in the Catalan parliament. Gabriel, a law professor, added she expects the case to be shelved and that she would "not have to ask for political asylum in any country." Supreme Court judge Pablo Llarena said he had ordered Gabriel’s arrest after she failed to turn up in court "without giving legitimate cause". The arrest warrant applies only "nationally", a court spokesman told AFP. Public prosecutors had asked the court to issue an arrest warrant for Gabriel and ask Swiss authorities to extradite her. - Fiery speeches - Gabriel, a top member of the far-left separatist CUP party, is the latest separatist to leave the country after deposed Catalan president Carles Puigdemont and four former regional ministers went to Belgium shortly after the Catalan parliament voted to declare independence on October 27. Spain's central government responded by imposing direct rule on the region, sacking its pro-independence government, dissolving the parliament and calling early elections. The CUP held the balance of power in Catalonia's parliament during that time, as ousted Catalan president Carles Puigdemont's ruling coalition lacked a majority and relied on the smaller party's 10 seats to pass legislation and advance his independence "roadmap." Gabriel, the party's most famous member, is popular with CUP supporters for her fiery pro-independence speeches in parliament. Puigdemont and several of his former ministers left for Belgium just hours before he and other separatist leaders were charged with rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds. Like Gabriel, they face arrest if they return to Spain. While the CUP saw the number of seats it has in the Catalan assembly fall from ten to just four following a snap election on December 21, pro-independence parties won a majority of 70 seats in the 135-seat parliament. Puigdemont wants to be sworn in again as president of Catalonia from Brussels, a move fiercely opposed by Madrid. burs-avl/ds/bp