Princess Cristina becomes first member of Spain's royal family to be put on trial as she arrives at court with her husband to face tax fraud charges
Princess
Cristina on Monday Jan 11,2016 has arrived at court ahead of an historic trial that marks the
first time a member of Spain's royal family has faced criminal charges
since the monarchy was restored in 1975.
The
50-year-old Cristina, who faces two counts of tax fraud carrying a
maximum prison sentence of eight years, was seen entering the court
building in Palma on the island of Majorca.
She
was accompanied by her husband Olympic handball medallist turned
businessman Inaki Urdangarin, who will also sit in the dock along with
16 others.
The
Princess is accused of allegedly failing to declare taxes on personal
expenses paid by a real estate company she owned with her husband.
She has become the first member of Spain's royal family has been put on trial.
Inaki Urdangarin faces more serious charges of using his Duke of Palma title
to embezzle about 6 million euros ($6.5 million) in public contracts
through the nonprofit Noos Institute he ran with an associate.
The
princess said nothing to dozens of reporters after arriving at a
makeshift courtroom in Palma de Mallorca where the trial is being held.
Security
was tight around the building after thousands of anti-monarchy
protesters in 2014 staged noisy demonstrations while Cristina answered
questions about the case posed by a investigative judge.
Authorities
Monday morning Jan 11,2016 detained one protester with an anti-monarchy flag a
short time before Cristina showed up at the court inside a sedan with
dark tinted windows.
There
are so many defendants and lawyers plus reporters covering the case
that judicial officials were forced to move the trial from a courthouse
to a sprawling building complex on the outskirts of Palma de Mallorca
normally used to hold mass training courses for public servants
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