Barcelona will now be the venue for the case against former ERC secretary general Marta Rovira, after the Spanish Supreme Court said it is not competent to hear it.
According to court documents, the case concerns an alleged offence of disobedience linked to the independence process. The Supreme Court’s criminal chamber said Rovira no longer has parliamentary immunity, and that the court has therefore lost its competence.
The high court also confirmed the investigating judge’s decision to prosecute Rovira only for the offence of disobedience. The case has now been sent to the Barcelona Provincial Court.
Rovira was not tried by the Supreme Court at the time because she moved to Switzerland in May 2018. By then, the court had already begun proceedings against political leaders involved in the independence referendum.
The transfer means the legal process will continue in Catalonia, with the Barcelona court now responsible for the next steps. For more Catalonia-wide political coverage, see our news page.