Carles Puigdemont, who fled to Belgium with several separatist politicians, says he won't return to face "a political trial." Still, some other deposed Catalan leaders did arrive at court Thursday.
Catalonia's ousted leader, Carles Puigdemont, said Tuesday that he and several ministers left "to avoid the threats." Hours later, a Spanish judge summoned them for interrogation in a sedition probe.
Police escorted some members of the Catalan government out of their offices, as the ongoing crisis over Catalonia's independence claim continues to create uncertainty.
Two days after the regional government voted to secede from Spain, demonstrators rejecting the move marched and brandished Spanish flags in Catalonia's capital.
Catalan lawmakers have voted to establish an independent republic. Meanwhile, the Spanish Senate has given Spain's prime minister the authority to institute direct rule of the semi-autonomous region.
Spain said it would invoke a constitutional clause allowing it to impose direct rule over semi-autonomous Catalonia after the region's leader refused to categorically renounce independence.
Catalonia's President Carles Puigdemont failed to clarify the region's stand on independence in a letter to Spain's prime minister — a move that Madrid has threatened will end the region's autonomy.
Has Catalonia declared independence? Will it secede following its Oct. 1 independence vote? No one is sure. Meanwhile, there's concern Catalan separatists might encourage similar movements in Europe.