Spain Supreme Court orders trial of former Catalan leaders

Spain’s Supreme Court on Thursday ordered 18 former Catalan
leaders to stand trial over their role in last year’s declaration
of independence.

The court said nine jailed former leaders including Catalonia’s
ex-vice president Oriol Junqueras should be tried for rebellion,
which carries a prison sentence of up to 25 years.

But the region’s former president Carles Puigdemont — who played
a key role in the separatist drive and is in self-imposed exile in
Belgium — is not part of the group because Spain does not allow
trials in absentia.

Catalonia’s parliament declared independence on October 27 last
year following a banned secession referendum that was marred by
violence.

The move triggered Spain’s worst political crisis since the
country returned to democracy following the death of long-time
dictator Francisco Franco in 1975.

Apart from Junqueras, the court ordered five other members of
the Catalan government to stand trial, along with the ex-president
of the Catalan parliament, Carme Forcadell.

The leaders of two powerful grassroots separatist groups, Jordi
Sanchez of the Catalan National Assembly (ANC), and Jordi Cuixart
of Omnium Cultural were also ordered to stand trial for
rebellion.

Some of the accused also face charges of embezzlement or
disobedience.

Junqueras and the other former Catalan cabinet members were
detained in November 2017 pending trial after organising the
illegal referendum and declaring independence from Spain.

Polls show Catalans are evenly split on the question of
independence but the overwhelming majority back a legally binding
vote to settle the issue.

Catalonia’s separatist drive has deeply divided people in the
wealthy northeastern region and caused resentment in the rest of
Spain.