Spanish judge Pablo Llarena is the hit of the summer in his different versions: instructing judge in a case which is more political than legal and which is keeping nine pro-independence leaders in prison in a situation absolutely unheard of in western Europe and keeping another few members of the Catalan government and political leaders exiled in various European countries; to this is added the surreal exercise led by the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ) to give protection to the judge over the civil lawsuit presented against him in Brussels by president Carles Puigdemont and the ministers in exile there.
The first is involved in the beginning of the crazy and unjust situation keeping the pro-independence leaders in Lledoners prison who could end up facing requests for up to 30 years imprisonment in a trial which is yet to have a date but about which there exists a certain chance it could be held before the end of the year. We're also waiting to find out if the change of attorney general as a consequence of the new PSOE government will end up meaning some specific instruction for the case's prosecutors to modify the line they've taken so far. It doesn't seem it's going to be so but, on the other hand, the hypothesis seems to be gaining weight that, in any case, it won't be before the trial is well under way that a different line of arguments is taken.
But in recent hours, Llarena has been a focus of the news not thanks to his surprising rulings, but thanks to the controversy which has arisen over whether the Spanish state should take charge or not of the judge's defence in the civil lawsuit brought against him in Brussels. As always happens, when Puigdemont and the ministers presented it, the initial reaction of the judiciary, a good portion of the Spanish political class and its media was the ridicule the initiative. The same thing happened when it was accepted for consideration and the date of 4th September was set for the hearing, summonsing Llarena for that day. The most gentle suggestion you heard was that it was stupid.
Time is running out and now that the 4th is approaching, Llarena has asked the CGPJ for help. He's done so, according to experts, too late. But it doesn't matter, it's been granted. In a tense meeting among shouts from those present, according to leaks, and with one vote against. But here's what the controversy stems from: to give him protection, most likely, a lawyer must end up being hired in the European capital to defend him against the plaintiffs who argue that their right to presumption of innocence has been violated in statements made by Llarena in various conferences. And who pays for this lawyer? The government doesn't appear to want to and is leaving it up to its legal service. Can the CGPJ take charge of the bill for a lawyer for a lawsuit against a judge referring to statements they made in their free time? It's complicated to use public money for that. And even more complicated to explain it.
Moreover, it remains to be seen what would happen to the case if Llarena were convicted. One of the successes of the team of lawyers of the exiled members of the Catalan government has been the internationalisation of the case and that all Europe sees perfectly clearly that the accusations against them don't have a leg to stand on.