A judge at Barcelona Investigating Court No. 24 has indicted three Mossos d'Esquadra officers, Catalonia's regional police, over the alleged assistance given to former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont after his brief return to Barcelona on 8 August 2024.

The officers are now a step closer to trial for alleged failure to pursue crimes. The case concerns Puigdemont's escape despite an arrest warrant issued by Spain's Supreme Court, and follows the Barcelona High Court's order to reopen proceedings that had previously been closed.

High Court ordered the investigation to resume

The investigating judge had initially closed the case after finding that the three officers had no duty to arrest Puigdemont because they were not on duty. One was on holiday, another was on authorised leave and the third was on sick leave.

That decision was overturned after the Barcelona High Court considered appeals, including one brought by the Hazte Oír private prosecution. The High Court instructed the judge to reopen the case and issue an order placing the officers closer to trial.

The judge said there were "sufficient indications" of a link between the three officers aimed at securing Puigdemont's escape despite the Supreme Court arrest warrant.

According to the judicial order, each officer allegedly took on a separate but complementary task as part of a coordinated effort to prevent Puigdemont's arrest and enable his subsequent departure. The allegation has not been proven in a trial.

Alleged coordination during the 2024 return

The alleged conduct took place after Puigdemont reappeared in Barcelona on 8 August 2024, the day Socialist Party politician Salvador Illa was being invested as president of the Generalitat, Catalonia's government.

  • Three officers have been indicted.
  • 8 August 2024 is the date of Puigdemont's brief return and subsequent escape.
  • Barcelona Investigating Court No. 24 issued the latest order following the High Court's ruling.

The proceedings concern alleged omission of the duty to pursue crimes, an offence that can carry disqualification from public office. A trial date has not been stated in the judicial information reported.

Reported by Source Text Link, Dídac Piferrer, Redacción digital Informativos Telecinco, Europa Press, Agencia EFE, Jose Sánchez, Oriol Solé Altimira, barna.news, Alejandro Ibáñez, Joan Faus, bbc.co.uk, catalannews.com, bbc.com, News Desk, El País, AP, Marina Gonzalez Yuste, elpais.com, ARA, Mayte Piulachs, elmundo.es, Ara Cat.