The jail sentences are for sedition, but their real problem is hubris. It was also dishonest, since it was based on a referendum in which only one side campaigned. 170 shares. Follow. Spain court revokes jailed Catalan separatists’ privileges Published on December 04, 2020 Spain’s top court on Friday revoked the semi-open prison regime that had been granted to nine separatist leaders serving time for a failed 2017 independence bid in the country’s northeastern region of Catalonia. In that sense, it is no different to, say, the Scottish parliament. • Giles Tremlett is a journalist and author based in Madrid, Spain’s imprisonment of Catalan leaders is a desperate move that will backfire. ‘Those now in jail will be hailed as martyrs to their cause and become an inspiration for future generations of separatists.’ Pro-independence protesters hold Catalan flags in Barcelona. He declared that the separatists would return even stronger and thanked his supporters for persevering. A decision by the separatist Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, to flee the country only served to underline that. Additional reporting by Reuters and Associated Press. It was, indeed, the day that an otherwise peaceful and often remarkable separatist campaign derailed itself. In court, they were unrepentant. 13. 3 years ago | 0 view. A jailed Catalan separatist leader was entitled to immunity as a member of the European Parliament, the EU's highest court ruled on Thursday. MADRID (AFP) — Spain’s top court on Friday revoked the semi-open prison regime that had been granted to nine separatist leaders serving time for a failed 2017 independence bid in the country’s northeastern region of Catalonia. Even when the left is in government, the right normally commands that. When politicians break the law and cross lines set by the constitution, the courts tell them so. Just the idea of being expelled from the EU would probably be enough to secure a resounding victory for remain. 3 years ago | 2 views. Tweet . Share. Facebook Count. Spanish rightwingers are today gloating over the court’s sentencing. Thousands of Catalan separatists call for independence, release of jailed leaders during rally. Despite the long sentences handed down by the supreme court on 14 October, some of the nine leaders convicted of sedition and misuse of public funds could soon be eligible to apply for “semi-liberty”, allowing them out of prison on a regular basis. The public prosecutor had accused all the nine jailed leaders of rebellion charges and sought the longest prison term, 25 years, for Oriol Junqueras, former deputy leader of the Catalan regional government at the time. 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". Police raid houses at dawn in Catalonia Spanish police say they have arrested nine people suspected of planning a series of violent attacks for the anniversary of a divisive referendum. Just as Boris Johnson cannot arbitrarily suspend the Westminster parliament, so Puigdemont could not hold a referendum. Now living in Belgium, he was not among those sentenced on Monday, though an international arrest warrant has now been issued. In practical terms, however, it hands a blocking vote to 40% of the senate. limelmase. Jailed Catalan politicians have taken their seats in Spain’s parliament after being released from pre-trial detention for the occasion. 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". The Catalan parliament does not have the power to declare independence. A Spanish judge has jailed two key members of the Catalan independence movement. Catalan separatists win vote. That is a very long journey. Report. He handed a 13-year jail term for sedition and misuse of public funds. Nor can it unilaterally call a binding referendum on the subject. Jailed Catalan separatists take seats in Spanish parliament AFP 22 May 2019. 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 Their only hope is to keep following the advice of the jailed regional MP and ex-president of the grassroots Catalan National Assembly, Jordi Sànchez. Jailed Catalan politicians have taken their seats in Spain’s parliament after being released from pre-trial detention for the occasion. 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. Behind bars with Catalonia’s separatists Jordi Cuixart, the jailed head of a Catalan NGO, continues to advocate for ‘self-determination’ from prison. That means that Jordi Sànchez and Jordi Cuixart – who have now served two years in pre-trial detention – could apply to be allowed out on licence as soon as they have served a quarter of their sentences, which would be in January next year. Saturday, 11 Nov 2017 11:25 PM MYT. At the first sight of bloodshed, support would likely shrink so far that their cause could take decades to recover. However, such a move would have profound political consequences. The nine men and women sentenced to between nine and 13 years of prison have stuck honourably to that tradition. Instead, it threw its moral advantage away with the independence declaration. 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. © 2020 Associated Newspapers Limited. Jailed Catalan separatists to enter Spanish parliament. BARCELONA . 0. Josep María Tamarit, a professor of criminal law at the Open University of Catalonia, said that in cases where a sentence of five years or more was handed out, a court could stipulate “that half the sentence has to be served before prisoners are eligible for semi-liberty”. By Press Association 2020 Catalan politician Jordi Sanchez gestures a thumbs up to the media. All defendants were acquitted of the gravest charge, rebellion, but leading separatists were quick to condemn the court’s decision and the jailed men sent out messages of defiance, urging people to take to the streets. News Jailed Catalan separatist has immunity, EU court rules. Share. Spain's government hopes that by moving towards a pardon for the jailed separatists it might help swing the Catalan elections in its favour. Spanish Supreme Court sentences Catalan separatists to prison, sparking protests Nine separatist leaders were sentenced nine to 13 years in prison by … By. Two Catalan separatists are jailed. Catalan separatists took to the streets of Barcelona Monday after many of their leaders were jailed by Spain’s Supreme Court over an attempt to break away from Spain in 2017. In response to the judgment, thousands of Catalans have cut off some of the main streets in Barcelona and other Catalan cities as … euronews (in English) Follow. This is often a key part of the process, since it provokes the outrage that brings change. It was the first time the jailed separatists had appeared in public since their conviction in … Thousands demand release of jailed Catalan separatists. Jailed Catalan separatists take seats in Spain’s parliament. The country’s written constitution makes both a referendum and independence theoretically possible, in a process controlled from Madrid. An opinion poll in July showed 48.3 per cent of Catalans against secession, with 44 per cent in favour. Protests across Catalonia . Grassroots pro-secession groups have previously said that if any of the defendants were found guilty they would organise protests and “peaceful civil disobedience”. Russian agents offered military aid to Catalan separatists at the height of their failed bid to break away from Spain in 2017, according to a judicial investigation in Spain. 3 years ago | 2 views. The longest prison term went to former Catalan deputy leader Oriol Junqueras. Following the news, the leader of the Spanish region of Catalonia demanded amnesty for separatist leaders convicted by the Supreme Court on Monday for their roles in a failed bid to declare independence from Spain in 2017. The separatist leaders convicted on Monday were arrested while other associates fled the country. Two key members of Catalonia’s independence movement have been detained pending an investigation into alleged sedition. That was already obvious on the streets of Barcelona and elsewhere when a unilateral proclamation of independence in the Catalan parliament on 27 October 2017 changed exactly nothing. There are huge practical obstacles to independence, starting with the many hurdles written into Spain’s constitution. Raul Romeva claimed that they had already been enduring pre-trial detention for months and that they are being used to make the political problems chronic. Share. France 24 . Browse more videos. Their campaign, in other words, has failed. And unlike Johnson (so far), his government ignored court rulings – and went ahead with the vote anyway. After the events of 2017, the police response will be watched closely. Published on December 04, 2020. Puigdemont clearly has not. Tweet . Oriol Junqueras, who received the longest sentence – 13 years – would have to wait about 15 months before applying. But the 2017 declaration of independence threw away the campaign’s moral advantage, Last modified on Tue 15 Oct 2019 11.16 BST. Catalan separatists took to the streets of Barcelona Monday after many of their leaders were jailed by Spain’s Supreme Court over an attempt to break away from Spain in 2017. March 3, 2020 9:39 pm An EU court rejected jailed Catalan separatist leader Oriol Junqueras’ request to temporarily be released to serve as an MEP while awaiting a final decision in his case. 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. Share. Six Catalan separatists serving long jail terms for a failed 2017 independence bid were let out on Tuesday to testify at a hearing in the regional parliament. The Spanish state looked, and behaved, like an ogre. Since independence is possible in theory, but currently impossible in practice, some separatists may conclude that only violence will achieve their aims. Catalan independence is currently one of them. Reblog. That is not a solid basis on which to announce an epoch-defining, existential change to the lives of all 7.6 million Catalans. ‘When politicians break the law and cross lines set by the constitution, the courts tell them.’ Carles Puigdemont. However, the supreme court turned down prosecutors’ request for such an order in the Catalan case. The jailed leaders denied the charges, arguing that Catalonia's 2017 secession bid had been non-violent. Protests have erupted in Barcelona after Spain's Supreme Court sentenced nine Catalan separatist leaders to between nine and 13 years in prison. The independence campaign embraced the tactics of civil disobedience, where people who deliberately flout the law know they may go to jail. Some things are impossible. This would force Catalan voters to face reality. Those convicted can complain to Spain’s constitutional court and then put their case before the European court of human rights in Strasbourg. Share. Trial of jailed Catalan separatists ends. Jailed Catalan separatists sworn in to Spanish parliament. Six Catalan separatists serving long jail terms for a failed 2017 independence bid were let out on Tuesday to testify at a hearing in the regional parliament. Catalan independence is currently one of them. Nine of the 12 Catalan politicians and civic leaders have been in pre-trial detention for close to two years. Eight more, including former members of the Catalan Cabinet, the ex-speaker of the Catalan parliament and two leaders of separatist grassroots groups received sentences ranging from nine to 12 years, while three other defendants were found guilty only of disobedience and not sentenced to prison. 4 min. Reuters . Separatism could have built on that. Spain has jailed nine Catalan separatist politicians over a failed 2017 declaration of independence for Catalonia. The court sentences concentrate on the referendum and are harsher than expected, and some will argue about the definition of “sedition”, but there is no doubt that the law was deliberately broken. Sam Jones. The trial, which garned international attention, relying on the testimonies of 500 witnesses as well as 50 televised court appearance, has drawn to a controversial close. As protesters reacted to the sentences by blockading Barcelona’s airport, it was not clear whether calls to avoid violence would be respected. Spain’s top court on Friday revoked the semi-open prison regime that had been granted to nine separatist leaders serving time for a failed 2017 independence bid in the country’s northeastern region of Catalonia. BARCELONA (Reuters) - A jailed Catalan separatist leader was entitled to immunity as a member of the European Parliament, the EU’s highest court ruled on Thursday. Paradoxically, an obvious solution is to hold a proper referendum. FILE PHOTO: Jailed … Six Catalan separatists serving long jail terms for a failed 2017 independence bid were let out on Tuesday to testify at a hearing in the regional parliament. The sentence comes following the events of October 2017, where separatist leaders of northeastern Catalonia tried to break the region away from the rest of Spain and create a new European state by declaring independence. Protestors wear Esteladas (Catalan separatist flags) before a demonstration in Barcelona, Spain, November 11, 2017. Catalan separatists took to the streets of Barcelona Monday after many of their leaders were jailed by Spain’s Supreme Court over an attempt to break away from Spain in 2017. It could have been very different. 21 May 2019. 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". Spain's Supreme Court jailed nine Catalan separatist leaders for between nine and 13 years for their involvement in a failed independence bid on October 1, 2017. The stiff jail sentences handed down to the leaders of the separatist campaign that peaked in 2017 with a banned referendum, police violence and a fudged declaration of independence make that clearer than ever. 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