A leading Catalan politician has vowed to carry on advocating for Catalan independence from her current base in Switzerland where she is evading a Spanish judicial probe for her role in last year's illegal secession attempt. Anna Gabriel, the leader of the anti-establishment Popular Unity Candidature known as CUP, told Swiss newspaper Le Temps that the Spanish Supreme Court probe is politically motivated and that she will be more useful to her party in Geneva than "behind bars." Spanish authorities initially sought Puigdemont's extradition but later dropped the arrest warrant saying they were looking to wrap the investigation up before seeking his return. They are Artur Mas, Puigdemont's predecessor as Catalonia's leader, and Neus Lloveras, the head of an association of pro-independence Catalan mayors. They face possible rebellion, sedition and embezzlement charges, which are punishable with decades in prison under Spanish law.

Source: ABC News February 20, 2018 09:53 UTC