MADRID, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The Spanish state prosecutor's office will ask for an international detention warrant to be issued for former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont and four former members of regional government, it was confirmed on Monday.
The prosecutor's office said the detention order would be issued for crimes of "sedition and rebellion."
Puigdemont and his companions, who are currently in exile in Belgium, also face less serious charges of "misuse of public funds" while Puigdemont stands accused of "disobedience."
However, they will no longer be tried on these counts to avoid Belgian authorities extraditing Puigdemont to face the lesser charges. Rebellion and sedition carry possible prison sentences of up to 30 years.
The prosecutor's office confirmed they would also ask for a warrant for the arrest of Ana Gabriel, former spokesperson for radical separatist party CUP, who is currently in Switzerland after refusing to appear in court in February.
Meanwhile Jordi Sanchez, who is currently in prison in Madrid, will appeal to the Spanish Supreme Court in order to be allowed out of jail in order to be sworn in as the leader of the Catalan regional assembly.
Sanchez became the candidate to be the next Catalan leader after Puigdemont renounced his candidacy.
He was due to be sworn in on Monday, but a high court judge refused his request to be released on Friday.
