Jailed Minister Josep Rull declares in the Spanish Court: ‘I'll keep on fighting for Catalan independence, so that my children do not have to live in this country where you go to jail for your ideas'.

The jailed Catalan minister Josep Rull questioned Spain’s separation of powers in the hearing in the Spanish Supreme Court yesterday. The Spanish justice minister and other officials have “anticipated” some judicial rulings. Rull has also accused judge Llarena, in charge of his case, of following the Spanish government’s “roadmap.” For the jailed Catalan politician, this is evidence that the Supreme Court is not independent and is affected by the Spanish government's decisions.

In his hearing, Josep Rull also said that the judicial case against him is “political.” In fact, he claimed to the judge that if the parties in favor of a Catalan state had not won the last Catalan election on December 21, 2017, the independence judicial case would not be in the same situation as it is now. ‘I will keep on fighting for Catalan independence, so that my children do not have to live in a country where you go to jail for your ideas'.

 At a time when the political prisoners are no longer arguing for their release from pretrial detention, now they know they will be behind bars until the trial starts at least, they are no longer restraining themselves in what they say nor hiding their feelings. Their latest statements to the Supreme Court have been a platform to defend their pro-independence feelings and to tell the judge, face-to-face, what they think of his investigation and the way legislative and legal power have been mixed.