The request made by attorneys Jordi Pina and Andreu Van den Eynde also names the right to defense as a reason to release the pro-independence leaders for a temporary period, arguing that as the referendum trial will seemingly go for a long time, the accused can’t properly prepare from prison.

Pina further assured that the three are not a flight risk, and suggested less severe methods than custody to guarantee his clients not flee: seizing their estate, not allowing them to leave Madrid, even house arrest.

Precedent

The lawyer also cited a precedent: on December 4, 2017, Jordi Turull was allowed this possibility once before for a similar reason, when he was a candidate in the Catalan snap elections celebrated later that month.

It’s possible that the lawyer for incarcerated former home affairs minister will also take this route, as his client Joaquim Forn is running for Barcelona mayor, the elections for which will be held at the end of May.

Sources for the team of attorney Xavier Melero have advanced that before making a decision, the lawyer will wait to read Pina’s petition as well as that of Andreu Van den Eynde, who is to release his statement on Thursday (Pina already put his forth on Wednesday night).

Meanwhile, attorneys for imprisoned leaders Carme Forcadell, Jordi Cuixart, and Dolors Bassa (former parliament speaker, Òmnium activist, and former minister respectively) have already advanced that they will not be requesting the same for their clients, as none are running in any of the upcoming elections.

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