The Spanish prison service has this Tuesday informed defence counsel for the Catalan political prisoners that, in the end, they will be moved to Madrid this Friday, 1st February, defence sources have told El Nacional. For the moment, the penal service hadn't confirmed the reports.
The move comes ahead of their trial, expected to start within the next fortnight. They are required to attend proceedings in the Supreme Court in the Spanish capital in person each day.
The penitentiary division of the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) will first move the prisoners from their respective current prisons (Puig de les Basses - Dolors Bassa; Mas d'Enric - Carme Forcadell; Lledoners - Oriol Junqueras, Jordi Turull, Raül Romeva, Josep Rull, Joaquim Forn, Jordi Sànchez and Jordi Cuixart) to Brians 2, the link prison with central authorities.
Civil Guard
The Civil Guard will then take responsibility of the transfer from Catalonia to Madrid, direct to their destination prisons: Madrid V (Soto del Real) for the men and Madrid I - Mujeres (Alcalá Meco) for the women. The transfer has to take place under conditions of "security, dignity" and an absence of "undue delays".
The imminent transfer is exceptional, both in terms of the duration of the trial and in terms of the number of defendants who will have to appear before the same court.
The Supreme Court had asked to have the prisoners available from the last week of January. It informed the penal service the trial could start as early as 5th February, although the actual date remains to be confirmed.