Catalan pro-independence leaders charged with rebellion by Spain’s Chief Prosecutor

The sacked Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont, and five other senior colleagues, have driven undetected across the French border and caught a flight to Brussels. The EU may not have recognised their independent state but a Flemish minister in the Belgian government has offered the ousted leadership political asylum.

While they were on the run Spain’s chief prosecutor today announced he has filed charges of rebellion, sedition and embezzlement against them.