The Latest on the crisis in Catalonia (all times local):

1 p.m.

The lawyers for Catalan ex-president Carles Puigdemont and four of his separatist allies say that the five will be judged on whether they can be extradited from Belgium to Spain on Dec. 14, exactly one week before a key regional election in Catalonia in which they are all running for re-election.

The group is refusing to return to Spain to face rebellion, sedition and embezzlement charges that can be punished with decades in prison under the country's criminal laws.

Puigdemont's defense lawyer, Paul Bekaert, said that on Monday the prosecutor sought the extradition of the five but Bekaert insisted that the Spanish charges are not punishable in Belgium and thus were no grounds for extradition.

"We also highlighted the danger for the impediment of their human rights in Spain," he said.

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10:30 a.m.

A Spanish judge has ordered the release of six Catalan politicians but upheld the jailing of two separatist activists and two other prominent members of the regional government ousted over a month ago amid an unprecedented independence bid.

Supreme Court magistrate Pablo Llarena on Monday ordered ousted Catalan Vice President Oriol Junqueras, the former regional interior minister Joaquim Forn and the leaders of two Catalan grassroots separatist groups to remain in jail without bail.

The judge considers that it remains to be seen if their pledges to abide by Spanish law and renounce unilateral independence for Catalonia is "truthful and real," according to a statement by the Supreme Court.

Llarena set bail at 100,000 euros (US$118,000 dollars) for the six other Catalan politicians who were jailed in November on preliminary charges of rebellion and other offenses.

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10 a.m.

A judge decides Monday if jailed Catalan pro-independence politicians and activists should be released, paving the way for them to join campaigning in a polarized regional election this month.

The full Catalan cabinet was ousted over a month ago for making an independence declaration and its members are facing rebellion and other charges punishable with decades in prison.

Eight former Catalan officials jailed near Madrid have pledged to give up unilateral independence for the wealthy region in the hope of being freed.

The remaining ex ministers and former regional president Carles Puigdemont are in Belgium, fighting extradition to Spain.

Two separatist activists facing sedition charges are also expecting a decision over their jailing orders by the same Supreme Court magistrate.

The Dec. 21 ballot is shaping up as a plebiscite between those for and against independence.

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9:20 a.m.

Ousted Catalan president Carles Puigdemont and four close separatist allies are to appear in a Brussels court again for extradition hearings and a possible decision whether they will have to be sent back to Spain.

Monday's court hearing in Brussels for the five Catalans is the latest step in their flight from Spain and their refusal to return to face rebellion and sedition charges.

Puigdemont plans to lead his party's campaign for the Dec. 21 election called by Spain's government in an attempt to find a democratic fix to the nation's worst institutional crisis in nearly four decades.

Whatever decision is made on Monday, two appeals will be possible and a final ruling could well only come only after the vote.