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A8 WORLD NEWS
Friday 15 February 2019

Catalan ex-official testifies he is a 'political prisoner'

By ARITZ PARRA pated Supreme Court trial. The leader of the Catalan
The Associated Press With ex-Catalan president left-wing pro-republic party
MADRID (AP) — A former Carles Puigdemont avoid- had begun his testimony by
Catalan official accused ing prosecution by fleeing telling the panel of seven
by Spanish prosecutors of to Belgium, Junqueras is judges that he is "being ac-
leading a violent rebellion the highest-ranking official cused for my ideas and not
to create an independent prosecuted in the case. for my deeds." He also de-
republic testified at a top He faces up to 25 years clined to answer questions
court in Madrid on Thurs- behind bars if found guilty by prosecutors because he
day that he considers him- for rebellion and misuse of regards the trial as a "politi-
self "a political prisoner." public funds. cal" one.
Oriol Junqueras, who was Gesturing vividly with his "I consider myself a political
the vice president of the hands and answering ques- prisoner," he said.
Catalan Cabinet that went tions only from his lawyer, Previously, and respond-
ahead with a banned se- Junqueras emphatically ing to allegations made
Catalan regional Vice-President, Oriol Junqueras, center, next
to Catalan former Cabinet member Raul Romeva, left, during cession referendum in Oc- rejected the charges and by the Catalans' defense
the trial at the Spanish Supreme Court in Madrid, Tuesday, Feb. tober 2017, was the first of made a strong defense attorneys, presiding Judge
12, 2019. a dozen separatist leaders of the Catalan indepen- Manuel Marchena said
Associated Press to testify in the much antici- dence movement as non- that questioning during the
violent. trial would only be allowed
"Any noble goal can be im- to focus on facts, not ideol-
moral if the mechanisms to ogy. The judge accepted
achieve it are indecent," some of the allegations
he said. "This is valid for the by the defendants. He al-
Catalan republic, for the lowed them to answer
Spanish monarchy, for Eu- questions in their Catalan
rope or anything else." mother tongue.q

Pope seeks role for rural

populations in addressing

hunger

Associated Press oping world.
ROME (AP) — Pope Francis The pope said "today more
is urging global decision- than ever we need to unite
makers in both the public our efforts, reach consen-
and private sectors to help sus and reinforce our con-
address poverty and hun- nections. The challenges
ger in rural areas by engag- we face are so intricate
ing the local population as and complex that we can-
"responsible architects" of not continue to confront
progress. them in an occasional
Francis was addressing an way, with emergency reso-
annual session Thursday of lutions."
the International Fund for He praised IFAD for results
Agricultural Development, it has achieved by de-
a U.N. agency based in centralizing its projects,
Rome dedicated to eradi- encouraging regional co-
cating poverty and hunger operation and diversifying
in rural areas of the devel- financial sources.q