Paul Bekaert

Catalonia: Spain risks sparking new unrest as it jails separatist leaders

The crisis in Spain dramatically deepened and extended across the Continent after eight Catalan ministers were jailed by a court in Madrid and a European arrest warrant was issued to extradite the region’s disputed president Carles Puigdemont from Belgium on charges of rebellion and sedition.

Ousted Catalan Independence Leader Flee To Belgium

Ousted Catalonia leader Carles Puigdemont is expected to make a public appearance Tuesday in Brussels, a day after he traveled there while Spanish prosecutors announced plans to seek sedition, rebellion and embezzlement charges against Catalan leaders.

Belgian lawyer Paul Bekaert told VRT television Monday Puigdemont was in Brussels and had appointed him as his lawyer.

Belgium seeks 30 years in prison for DHKP-C member over crimes committed in Turkey

A Belgian prosecutor on Dec. 5 sought a 30-year jail term in absentia for an outlawed Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) member being tried for crimes committed in Turkey and for being an accomplice in the 1996 assassination of the former head of Sabancı Holding, one of Turkey's top family-owned industrial conglomerates.