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Catalan Pro-Independence Leaders Face up to 25 Years in Prison

  • Catalans protesting at the first anniversary of the imprisonment of members of the previous government in the Lledoners Penitentiary Center.

    Catalans protesting at the first anniversary of the imprisonment of members of the previous government in the Lledoners Penitentiary Center. | Photo: EFE

Published 2 November 2018
Opinion

The Prosecutor's Office of Spain accused nine separatist leaders of rebellion. The former Catalonia President Carles Puigdemont is among them.

Spain's public prosecutor today posed charges of rebellion and misuse of public funds against nine political and social leaders who were involved in the organization of a Referendum in Oct.1, 2017, a banned event that was aimed at proclaiming Catalonia independence from Spain. The Prosecutor proposes 16 to 25 years of jail time for them.

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The former President of Catalonia Carles Puigdemont, who was arrested in Germany in March, could receive a maximum sentence of 25 years.

"The Public Prosecutor is not acting with justice but with revenge," said the current President of the Government of Catalonia, Quim Torra, who called his officials for an emergency meeting to analyze the ongoing situation.

The prosecutor proposal suggested 16 years imprisonment for five former advisors of the Catalan Executive branch; and 17 years of jail for both the former president of Catalonia's Regional Parliament and two leaders of social organizations supporting independence.

According to the Prosecutor's Office, the accused Pro-independence leaders' declarations contributed to a public environment of violence and intimidation.

Commenting on the accusations of rebellion, the Catalonia Minister of Agriculture Teresa Jorda tweeted that "democracy has definitively died in the Kingdom of Spain."

On the other hand, the Spanish State Attorney said rebellion charges should be dropped in favor of the lesser offense of sedition, an opinion which has been interpreted as being part of the Madrid-based government's efforts to reduce its tensions with Barcelona.

The trial of the Pro-independence leaders is expected to begin in January 2019.

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