A leading politician from Catalonia’s pro-independence movement has fled Spain, claiming she will not get a fair trial over her alleged role in the region’s declaration of independence last year.

Anna Gabriel, a well-known former deputy in the Catalan parliament for the hard-left CUP party, has headed to Switzerland rather than go to Madrid this week to face charges in Spain’s Supreme Court.

“Since I will not have a fair trial at home, I have looked for a country that can protect my rights,” Ms Gabriel told Swiss newspaper Le Temps on Tuesday.

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“I won’t go to Madrid. I’m wanted for my political activities and the government press has already declared me guilty.”

In a television interview, Ms Gabriel said she was considering asking for permanent political asylum in Switzerland should there be an extradition request from Spain, saying she will be more useful to her party in Geneva than “behind bars”. She also said that she has regularly received death threats from unspecified individuals.

Shortly after a failed unilateral declaration of independence was made by the Catalan parliament last autumn, the region’s former president Carles Puigdemont fled to Belgium with four former cabinet ministers. Mr Puigdemont, who has also ignored a court summons, faces similar possible charges to Ms Gabriel of sedition and rebellion.

So far, four separatists have been imprisoned pending sedition charges, including the former regional vice-president, Oriol Junqueras.

A high number of pro-independence leaders currently face possible trials in Spain, most due to take place later this year. Another CUP politician Mireia Boya was also due to appear in court on Wednesday, as was former Catalan president Artur Mas on Tuesday. Both were set to make statements to the judge about the banned pro-independence referendum on 1 October.

The CUP has been one of the most hardline supporters of independence, and its fragile alliance with more moderate separatist parties was instrumental in allowing the nationalists to hold a narrow majority in the currently dissolved Catalan parliament.

Ms Gabriel was known to be in Switzerland since last Saturday. It was initially reported that she had travelled to Geneva to work with a local international human rights lawyer to prepare her defence.

Earlier this week Ines Arrimadas, head of the pro-unionist party Ciudadanos in Catalonia, had described Ms Gabriel’s departure for Switzerland as another example the independence leaders “trying to save themselves”. “They’d tried to sell the idea of the [Catalan] Republic and that we’d all be rich and happy and now they’re making a break for it,” she said.

The CUP, meanwhile, have insisted that Ms Gabriel’s trial was politically motivated, and expressed their support for their former MP.

While not part of the EU, Switzerland does have an extradition pact with Spain, although it is not clear if the charges that could affect Ms Gabriel are included in it.</s>Spain's Supreme Court has called for the arrest of former Catalan member of parliament Anna Gabriel after she failed to appear in court on Wednesday to answer charges related to the region's independence push.

MADRID: Spain's Supreme Court has called for the arrest of former Catalan member of parliament Anna Gabriel after she failed to appear in court on Wednesday to answer charges related to the region's independence push.

Gabriel was called to appear in the Supreme Court on charges of sedition and rebellion surrounding her alleged part in Catalonia's illegal independence referendum and subsequent secession declaration in October.

On Tuesday, Gabriel said from Switzerland she would not travel to Madrid to face the charges as she did not believe she would have a fair trial.</s>The leader of a pro-Catalan independence party wanted for questioning by the Spanish authorities for her alleged role in a banned separatist referendum and its consequences, for which she could face charges of rebellion, has fled to Switzerland, she told journalists Tuesday.

Anna Gabriel of the left-wing Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP), the third separatist power in the regional Catalan parliament which supported the government of Carles Puigdemont until it was deposed by the Spanish state in the wake of the controversial independence declaration last year, said she would not travel to Madrid, where she was due to attend a hearing on Wednesday at the Supreme Court.</s>A leading Catalan pro-independence politician has said she will not return to Spain to face a supreme court summons, claiming that the country’s judiciary would treat her unfairly.

Anna Gabriel, a senior figure in the Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP), is due to appear before the supreme court in Madrid on Wednesday as part of an investigation into alleged sedition and rebellion by members of the independence movement. However, she has been in Switzerland in recent days and in an interview with that country’s Temps newspaper, she said she will not appear.

“Given that I will not be given a fair hearing in my own country, I have looked for a country that can protect my rights,” Ms Gabriel told the newspaper. The treatment of the Catalan independence movement, she said, was comparable to recent repression in Turkey.

“I will be more use to my movement free than behind bars,” she said. “When I saw the fate of a number of my colleagues who have been in prison since December, I realised I had to leave.”

Four Catalan independence leaders are in prison awaiting trial for their roles in last autumn’s secessionist drive, including Oriol Junqueras, the former vice-president of the region.

The anti-capitalist CUP has only four seats in the Catalan parliament. However, in the previous legislature the party’s support was crucial in ensuring a pro-independence majority and it has been the most radical secessionist force in the region’s mainstream politics in recent years.

Ms Gabriel also told media she is considering requesting asylum if Spain tries to extradite her.

Rafael Hernando, of Spain’s governing Popular Party (PP), described Ms Gabriel’s flight as an act of “cowardice and cynicism”.

The Socialist Party also criticised the move. “The key thing about making a political commitment is to defend it until the end and you don’t defend it by fleeing from justice,” said the party’s spokeswoman, Margarita Robles.

Ms Gabriel’s decision to evade the Spanish justice system follows a similar move by the ousted Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont. In October he went to Belgium where he has remained.

The choice of Switzerland, like Belgium, is believed to be significant. Differences between the legal systems of those countries and that of Spain are an obstacle to extradition on the sedition and rebellion charges that Mr Puigdemont and Ms Gabriel would face. In December, Spain dropped an international arrest warrant against Mr Puigdemont for technical reasons.

The former president has been campaigning to be reinstated, despite a constitutional court ruling preventing him from doing so. However, on Tuesday, the Catalan parliament’s presiding council delayed a decision on whether to table a motion changing the law in order to allow him to be sworn in from afar.

The deadlock caused by Mr Puigdemont’s attempt to become president has created division in the independence movement, with his own Together for Catalonia (JxCat) coalition at odds with the Catalan Republican Left (ERC) over who should lead a new regional government.

Another former Catalan president, Artur Mas, was questioned in the supreme court on Tuesday about his role in the independence drive. Mr Mas said he told the court that an October 1st independence referendum was “real” but that the declaration of independence that followed was only symbolic.</s>Another leading political figure in the Catalonian movement for independence has fled to Switzerland ahead of a court hearing in Madrid, saying she won’t get “a fair trial at home”.

In an interview published in Switzerland’s Le Temps newspaper Anna Gabriel, a former Catalan lawmaker and member of the left-wing Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP) party, compares the situation in Catalonia to the crackdown in Turkey following the failed coup attempt in 2016.

She was due to appear before a Supreme Court judge on Wednesday over her role in last year’s independence push. "I will not go to Madrid. I am being prosecuted for my political activity and the government press has already convicted me,” she explained.

“Since I will not have a fair trial at home, I have looked for a country that can protect my rights.”

Gabriel denounced the situation in Catalonia, which has seen nearly 900 people placed under investigation or indicted following the failed independence drive. She also slammed the government for failing to protect separatist leaders from far right groups.

Four separatist leaders, including Catalonia's former vice president Oriol Junqueras, have been jailed on charges that include rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds in the aftermath of the illegal independence referendum.

Six others, including former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont, have fled the region. "I will be more useful to my movement free than behind bars,” Gabriel said.

READ MORE: Pro-independence protesters break police cordon on way to Catalan parliament (VIDEOS)

On Tuesday a spokesman for Switzerland's Federal Office of Justice said Switzerland is prevented from extraditing Gabriel to Spain under Swiss law and the European Convention on Human Rights, because her alleged crimes were political.

Like this story? Share it with a friend!</s>Anna Gabriel speaks during a session to vote the Catalan government's 2017 budget at the Parliament of Catalonia on March, 2017. Photo: AFP

A former Catalan lawmaker and major figure in the region's secession attempt has fled to Switzerland ahead of a court hearing in Madrid, comparing the situation in Catalonia to Turkey's post-coup crackdown.

In an interview with Switzerland's Le Temps daily published Tuesday, Anna Gabriel, a top member of the far-left, separatist CUP party, said she had decided to leave Spain as she would not have "a fair trial at home."

She is the latest separatist to leave the country after deposed Catalan president Carles Puigdemont and four former regional ministers went to Belgium shortly after a failed bid to break from Spain.

Gabriel was due to appear before a Supreme Court judge on Wednesday over her role in Catalonia's failed independence drive, which prompted Madrid to impose direct rule on the region in October, sack its government and dissolve its parliament.

"I won't go to Madrid. I'm wanted for my political activities and the government press has already declared me guilty," she told the daily.

"As I wouldn't get a fair trial at home, I looked for a country that could protect my rights."

She said she got regular death threats from far-right extremists, adding the government wasn't "doing anything to safeguard our security faced with fascists' violence."

Gabriel accused Madrid of "repression," likening the situation in Catalonia, whose separatist leaders are under investigation for their attempt to break from Spain, with "what is happening right now in Turkey."

There, more than 55,000 people have been arrested following a failed 2016 coup, including journalists, MPs and activists.

Gabriel said close to 900 people in Catalonia were either under investigation or had been charged, among them "teachers, police officers, politicians and even mere voters."

So far, four separatist leaders have been jailed pending a probe into their role in the separatist drive on charges that include rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds.

"I will be more useful to my movement free than behind bars," Gabriel said.</s>MADRID/ZURICH (Reuters) - Spain's Supreme Court ordered the arrest of former Catalan member of parliament Anna Gabriel after she failed to appear in court on Wednesday to answer charges related to the region's independence campaign.

 Gabriel, who had moved from Spain to Switzerland at an unknown date, was called to appear in the Supreme Court in Madrid on charges of sedition and rebellion over her alleged part in Catalonia's illegal independence referendum and subsequent declaration of seccession in October.

 On Tuesday, Gabriel said in Geneva that she would not travel to Madrid to face the charges as she did not believe she would have a fair trial. She did not appear for the session scheduled for Wednesday morning.

 "I would have never come to Switzerland but the situation has forced me to," she told Catalan television in an interview on Wednesday. "I would like to think this case will be shelved and I can return home." 

 The Catalan independence drive has taken Spain to the brink of its worst political crisis since the transition to democracy in the mid-1970s.

 It has divided opinion in Catalonia, caused deep resentment elsewhere in Spain, and prompted thousands of companies based in the wealthy northeastern region to relocate to avoid potential fallout. 

 The Supreme Court said in a statement it had ordered Gabriel's arrest following her no-show. But the warrant only extended to Spain and the court did not issue an international arrest warrant.

 In Zurich, a Swiss Federal Office of Justice spokesman indicated that any attempt to extradite her could prove difficult. Media reports on Gabriel's flight from Spain suggested that her alleged offences were political in nature, he said.

 The Justice Office said it would not grant extradition or legal assistance for any political offences, based on agreements between non-EU member Switzerland and Spain via the European Convention on Extradition, as well as the European Mutual Assistance Act, among other pacts governing cooperation.

 Still, if Switzerland were to receive such a request, the spokesman said, it would review the matter carefully to come to a formal determination of her status.

 Several prominent members of the former Catalan government have been arrested and released on bail or are awaiting trial on remand after organizing the independence referendum and later making a unilateral declaration of independence.

 A court ruled that the attempt to split from Spain was unconstitutional, prompting Madrid to dismiss the Catalan government and take direct control of the region, which already has a large measure of autonomy, before calling a new election.

 Former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont fled the country shortly after the independence declaration and remains in self-imposed exile in Brussels with four members of his previous cabinet. All face similar charges as Gabriel for their part in the independence push.

 Following the regional election in December, pro-independence parties continued to hold a narrow majority in the Catalan parliament, though attempts to reinstate Puigdemont as head while he resides abroad have failed. 

 

 (Additional reporting by Carla Raffin; Writing by Paul Day, Editing by Jesus Aguado and Angus MacSwan)</s>A judge from Spain's Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a national arrest warrant for a politician from Catalonia who had been due to testify on the region's recent declaration of independence but recently fled to Switzerland.

Anna Gabriel, the former regional parliamentary spokesperson for the left-wing pro-independence Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP), was due to face charges of rebellion for her involvement in Catalonia's failed bid for independence last year, but left for Switzerland days ahead of her arraignment.</s>A former Catalan lawmaker and major figure in the region's secession drive has fled to Switzerland ahead of a court hearing and may seek asylum there, the sixth separatist to leave Spain in months.

In an interview with Switzerland's Le Temps newspaper published Tuesday, Anna Gabriel, a top member of the far-left separatist CUP party, said she had decided to leave as she would not have "a fair trial at home".

She also compared the situation in Catalonia, whose separatist leaders are under investigation for their attempt to break from Spain, to Turkey's post-coup crackdown.

"I won't go to Madrid. I'm wanted for my political activities and the government press has already declared me guilty," she told the paper.

"As I wouldn't get a fair trial at home, I looked for a country that could protect my rights."

Gabriel, in her early 40s, is the latest separatist to leave the country after deposed Catalan president Carles Puigdemont and four former regional ministers went to Belgium shortly after a failed bid to break from Spain.

She was due to appear before a Supreme Court judge on Wednesday over her role in Catalonia's failed independence drive, which eventually prompted Madrid to impose direct rule on the region in October, sack its government and dissolve its parliament.

The Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP) held the balance of power in Catalonia's parliament during that time, as Puigdemont's ruling coalition lacked a majority and relied on the smaller party's 10 seats to pass legislation and advance his independence "roadmap."

It called for action on the street after a banned independence referendum on October 1 was marred by police violence.

Gabriel is the party's most famous member, hugely popular with CUP supporters for her fiery speeches in parliament in favour of independence.

In another interview with Swiss television RTS, she said she could seek asylum in Switzerland.

The former university law professor said she was first going to try to settle in the country and possibly get academic work.

But "if I can't because there is an extradition request, I will ask for political asylum," she said in fluent French.

It is possible that a Spanish court will launch an arrest warrant when Gabriel fails to turn up at Wednesday's court hearing in Madrid.

In Le Temps newspaper, Gabriel said she has got death threats from far-right extremists, and charged that the government was not "doing anything to safeguard our security faced with fascists' violence."

Gabriel accused Madrid of "repression," likening the situation in Catalonia with "what is happening right now in Turkey".

More than 55,000 people have been arrested in Turkey following the failed 2016 coup, including journalists, MPs and activists.

Gabriel said close to 900 people in Catalonia were either under investigation or had been charged, among them "teachers, police officers, politicians and even mere voters".

So far, four separatist leaders have been detained pending a probe into their role in the separatist drive on charges that include rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds.

"I will be more useful to my movement free than behind bars," Gabriel said.</s>A Spanish court on Wednesday issued an arrest warrant valid only in Spain for 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.

The Supreme Court "ordered the arrest" of Anna Gabriel, who failed to turn up on Wednesday before a judge for questioning, it said in its ruling. 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.

Asked earlier on Wednesday if extradition was a possibility, Swiss justice ministry spokesman Folco Galli said: "Switzerland does not grant, like most other states, extradition and any other form of mutual legal assistance for political offences.

"If there is a request, we have to look at it thoroughly, and from what the media say, it seems to be a political offence, so there is no extradition," he added.

READ MORE: Leading Catalan separatist flees to Switzerland to evade justice

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 a failed bid to break from Spain.

She had been due to appear before a Supreme Court judge on Wednesday over her role in Catalonia's failed independence drive, which eventually led Madrid to impose direct rule on the region in October, sack its government and dissolve its parliament.

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, a former university law professor and the party's most famous member, is popular with CUP supporters for her fiery speeches in parliament in favour of independence.

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 over their role in Catalonia's independence drive.

Like Gabriel, they face arrest if they return to Spain.

"I won't go to Madrid. I'm wanted for my political activities and the government press has already declared me guilty," Gabriel told Swiss daily Le Temps on Tuesday.
Anna Gabriel, former member Parliament of Catalonia for Popular Unity Candidacy and Catalan independentism leader, flees to Switzerland before declaring before the Supreme Court of Spain amid rebellion and desobedience crime.