Ousted Catalonia leader Carles Puigdemont is expected to make a public appearance Tuesday in Brussels, a day after he traveled there while Spanish prosecutors announced plans to seek sedition, rebellion and embezzlement charges against Catalan leaders.

Belgian lawyer Paul Bekaert told VRT television Monday Puigdemont was in Brussels and had appointed him as his lawyer.

“He is not in Belgium to specifically ask for political asylum. That is not decided yet,” Bekaert said.

Watch: Catalan leaders flee to Belgium

Chief prosecutor Jose Manuel Maza said Monday he would seek to charge the leaders of Catalonia who led a push to secede from Spain. It is up to a court to decide whether to move forward with the charges, which could bring lengthy jail terms, including up to 30 years for rebellion.

Catalonia held a referendum October 1 on the question of whether the autonomous region should break away from Spain. The government in Madrid rejected the secession push, and after Catalan lawmakers declared independence last week, the central government asserted control over the region and dissolved the local parliament.

New elections are set for December, and Catalonia’s separatist party announced it would field candidates.
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