Eight sacked Catalan ministers detained for declaring independence as arrest warrant issued for ex-President Carles Puigdemont | London Evening Standard

Eight sacked Catalan ministers detained for declaring independence as arrest warrant issued for ex-President Carles PuigdemontMinisters: (L-R), Interior Minister Joaquim Forn, Foreign Affairs Minister Raul Romeva, Labour Minister Dolors Bassa, Government Presidency Councillor Jordi Turull, Justice Minister Carles Mundo, Sustainable Development Minister Josep Rull and Culture Minister Meritxell BorrasREUTERS

Eight of the nine ex-Catalan ministers under investigation for sedition, rebellion and embezzlement have been detained without bail, a judge has ordered.

One former Cabinet member, Former Business Minister Santi Vila, was set a bail of 50,000 euro (£44,000). He resigned prior to the vote for independence on Friday, October 27.

The decision was made on Thursday over their role in Catalonia’s declaration of independence.

A prosecutor has also asked the National Court judge to issue an international arrest warrant for ousted regional president Mr Puigdemont and four of his ex-ministers.

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Carles Puigdemont, the former president of Catalonia, and four other ex-Cabinet members are in Belgium and ignored court summonses to appear for questioning.

The Spanish government invoked constitutional authority last week to take over running Catalonia following the region's declaration of independence.

Demonstrators gather outside the Catalonian Parliament to protest against the judge's decisionAP

Madrid sacked the Catalan Cabinet, dissolved the regional parliament and called a new regional election for December 21.

The National Court has been questioning ousted Catalan government members but a parallel Supreme Court session for six Catalan politicians was postponed until November 9.

Political crisis: Protesters during a pro-unity demonstration in BarcelonaAFP/Getty Images

The detained ministers include Deputy Vice President Oriol Junqueras, Interior Minister Joaquim Forn, Foreign Affairs Minister Raül Romeva, and Justice Minister Carles Mundó.

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Twenty regional politicians, including fired regional government president Mr Puigdemont, were called to appear.

Mr Puigdemont said he and several of his former ministers went to Brussels earlier this week for "freedom and safety".

He said he would return home “immediately if a fair judicial process were guaranteed in Spain.