Spanish prosecutors seek to maintain warrant for Catalonia’s Puigdemont

The state prosecutors’ office in Madrid asked a Spanish judge on Monday to maintain the international arrest warrants for former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont and one of his colleagues as they attempt to take seats in the European Parliament.

The office said it also wants the judge to ask the European Parliament to suspend immunity for Puigdemont and former Catalan cabinet member Toni Comin as elected parliament members, AP reports.

The warrant for the two Catalan leaders “can only be left without effect once they voluntarily turn themselves in or are handed over to respond to the charges against them,” the statement said.

The two politicians are wanted in Spain for their role in the 2017 secession bid by the Catalan government and pro-independence lawmakers. They fled to Belgium after the attempt failed and were elected to the European Parliament in May as representatives of Catalan parties.