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Catalan separatist leaders get jail terms for failed independence bid

The Catalan politicians have been handed sentences of up to 13 years in prison

Oriol Junqueras AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti

Oriol Junqueras

© AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti

MADRID, October 14. /TASS/. Catalan politicians involved in what Madrid deemed to be an illegal referendum for Catalonia’s independence in 2017 have been handed sentences of up to 13 years in prison, Spain’s Supreme Court announced in its verdict on Monday.

Some of the 12 leaders of the Catalan separatist movement charged under the case were found guilty of sedition and misuse of public funds, with Vice President of Catalonia Oriol Junqueras getting the harshest penalty.

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Former President of the Catalan National Assembly Jordi Sanchez and President of Omnium Cultural Jordi Cuixart were sentenced to nine years behind bars. Former President of the Parliament of Catalonia Carme Forcadell received 11 years and six months in jail. Those convicted in the case were also banned from holding state positions for various lengths of time.

Spain’s prosecutors asked the court to sentence the Catalan politicians to up to 25 years in prison and insisted that they should be convicted under the ‘rebellion’ article. In contrast, state lawyers pushed for a lesser offence – “sedition” – and asked the defendants to be sentenced to up to 12 years behind bars.
The defendants were convicted of the lesser charge of sedition, and avoided the more serious charge of rebellion.

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