Spanish Prosecutor Calls For 25 Years For Jailed ex-Catalan Leaders - Reports

The prosecutor's office asked for a sentence of 25 years imprisonment for former Catalan Vice President Oriol Junqueras, and 17 years of prison for another eight leaders of the region who supported the independence movement, El Pais reported Friday.

The report came just ahead of the first anniversary of the imprisonment of Catalan activists who tried to make the Spanish region independent, following the referendum in October 2017, in which a majority of those who voted supported the idea of the region leaving the kingdom.

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Commenting on the situation in the region, former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont promised earlier this week to unveil the “Council of the Republic,” a government he plans to lead from exile in Belgium.

On October 1, 2017, Catalonia held an independence vote, which resulted in over 90 percent of those who voted backing independence for the region. Madrid condemned the referendum and refused to recognize the results, imposing direct rule over Catalonia and dissolving the regional parliament after the local government proclaimed the region's independence.

The Spanish Supreme Court charged 25 people with sedition, rebellion, embezzlement and other crimes over the events, while the Puigdemont had to leave the country.