Spain‘s Supreme Court has convicted 12 former Catalan politicians and activists for their roles in the secession movement of 2017. Spanish rightwingers are today gloating over the court’s sentencing. 170 shares. Nor can it unilaterally call a binding referendum on the subject. Some things are impossible. This would force Catalan voters to face reality. Protests have erupted in Barcelona after Spain's Supreme Court sentenced nine Catalan separatist leaders to between nine and 13 years in prison. Jailed Catalan separatists take seats in Spanish parliament. Five jailed Catalan separatist leaders elected to the Spanish parliament last month were temporarily released from prison Tuesday and escorted by police to the assembly to be sworn in as lawmakers. But to this day, much is at stake both for Spain and for its wealthiest region in this trial over an independence drive that attracted worldwide attention, triggered Spain’s biggest political crisis in decades and unnerved financial markets. A decision by the separatist Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, to flee the country only served to underline that. All rights reserved. It will never permit a separate Catalonia. France 24 . Jailed Catalan separatists sworn in to Spanish parliament. Those convicted can complain to Spain’s constitutional court and then put their case before the European court of human rights in Strasbourg. Thousands took to the streets of Barcelona on Wednesday to show support for the Catalan "political prisoners" whose trial ended after four months in Madrid. Spanish Supreme Court sentences Catalan separatists to prison, sparking protests Nine separatist leaders were sentenced nine to 13 years in prison by … Published on December 04, 2020. Separatism could have built on that. So why won’t Spain do that? The jailed leaders have become a powerful symbol for separatists, who saw their pre-trial jailing for nearly two years as unfair. Five jailed Catalan separatist leaders elected to the Spanish parliament last month were temporarily released from prison Tuesday and escorted by police to the assembly to be sworn in as lawmakers. 0 comment. Catalan independence is currently one of them. It could have been very different. After the events of 2017, the police response will be watched closely. And unlike Johnson (so far), his government ignored court rulings – and went ahead with the vote anyway. However, such a move would have profound political consequences. Puigdemont clearly has not. Jailed Catalan separatists sworn in to Spanish parliament. And even the socialist left, which talks up the idea of a “pluri-national” Spain, has done little to make Spaniards in other parts of the country proud of the languages and cultures that coexist within it. Sorry, there was a problem with your subscription. Overcoming these requires massive support in Catalonia itself; but the separatist leaders who orchestrated a head-on collision with the law never had anything like that. Spain court revokes jailed Catalan separatists’ privileges. Protests across Catalonia . Share. By EUobserver. Paradoxically, an obvious solution is to hold a proper referendum. By. By. The attempt to declare independence failed when it received no international recognition and Spain’s government intervened and fired the regional government. It was the first time the jailed separatists had appeared in public since their conviction in October, and on arrival at the parliament in Barcelona, they were greeted by dozens of supporters who broke into applause, shouting "freedom". © 2020 Associated Newspapers Limited. Jailed Catalan separatists take seats in Spanish parliament AFP 22 May 2019. 4 min. Afp, Madrid . “Remain in Spain” voters mostly boycotted the illegal vote and, inevitably, the “leave” side won. Sam Jones. It was the first time the jailed separatists had appeared in public since their conviction in October, and on arrival at the parliament in Barcelona, they were greeted by dozens of supporters who broke into applause, shouting "freedom". Oriol Junqueras, who received the longest sentence – 13 years – would have to wait about 15 months before applying. 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