Jordi Sànchez: “There's no heating in prison cells and it's cold at night”

Jordi Sànchez, number two on the list for the party Junts per Catalunya – headed up by now-ex president Carles Puigdemont - and leader of the Catalunya National Assembly (ANC), says: “The nights are starting to get really cold in here.”

“There's only heating in the family and lawyers' visiting area, but none in the cells,” he complains.

Although Sànchez does concede that he gets 'plenty of warmth' in the shape of 'letters of support'.

“You can't keep a country down,” he insisted in an interview with regional newspaper Ara.

“There's no way of holding back a nation's wishes.

“The independence movement's democratic aspirations will find new ways to keep forging ahead.”

Sànchez, who is currently in the prison in Soto del Real, Greater Madrid region – the same one as former PP treasurer Luis Bárcenas spent 19 months in when his 'slush fund' came to light – says it is 'a big mistake' to believe that the problems between Catalunya and the State of Spain are now resolved as a result of the latter's actions, including taking control of the former's government and remanding politicians in custody 'thanks to new criminal offences created with judicial engineering' which have 'managed to slip fragments of Franco's Penal Code into the current version'.

“The independence movement's determination and perseverance will make them the overall winners,” Sànchez says confidently.

“All fair causes have won out because their fighters have never given up. And we're not going to, either.”

Mariano Rajoy, president of Spain, has recently announced that 'things are back to normal now' concerning Catalunya since 'everyone is now acting within the law'.