This archive report was first published on 14 October 2019.
On October 14, 2019, the Spanish Supreme Court handed down prison sentences to former leaders of the Catalan independence movement for their involvement in the 2017 attempt to break away from Spain.
The court found 12 leaders guilty of crimes including rebellion, sedition, and misuse of public funds. The verdicts were delivered in a landmark trial that drew international attention.
Former Catalan deputy leader Oriol Junqueras received the toughest sentence, 13 years in prison. Carles Puigdemont, the former leader of Catalonia, has been living in self-imposed exile in Belgium and has avoided prosecution in Spain.
The court sentenced nine of the 12 former leaders to prison for sedition and misusing public funds, while the remaining three were sentenced for the lesser crime of disobedience.
The ruling came amid rising tensions in Catalonia, where anti-riot police have been deployed in preparation for potential street protests.
The verdict also coincided with the buildup to a repeat national election in Spain, which will be the country's fourth election in four years.
