Spain’s state attorney calls for temporary release of Catalan EU lawmaker Junqueras

Spain’s state attorney called on Monday for the temporary release of Catalan politician Oriol Junqueras from prison. The move is seen as a gesture of political goodwill as the Socialist Party seeks support to form a government, Reuters said.

Last week, the European Union’s top court said Junqueras, who was sentenced in October to 13 years in prison over a failed 2017 independence bid, was entitled to immunity as an EU lawmaker.

Spain’s Supreme Court, which has the final say, is expected to announce its decision in the coming weeks. The state attorney also called on the top court to ask the European Parliament to strip Junqueras of immunity.