Protesters hold a
Catalan "Estelada" flag and images of the jailed separatist leaders in
Barcelona, Spain. Photo: Lluis Gene/AFP via Getty Images
Spain's
Supreme Court handed down prison sentences of 9 to 13 years Monday to 9
Catalan separatist leaders for sedition over their roles in the 2017
independence referendum, the BBC reports. 3 others were not sentenced after being found guilty of disobedience, per Al Jazeera.
Why it matters: Catalonia declared its independence from Spain following the vote, causing the Spanish government to impose direct rule and
dissolve the autonomous Catalan government. The court's decision has
triggered massive protests by pro-independence supporters in the Catalan
capital, Barcelona, video posted by activists and journalists on the scene shows.
BLOGGER: Scotland had a binding vote - the nationalists lost.
The
UK had a binding vote on quitting the EU - three and a half years later
we are either heading to No Brexit at all or a watered down version.
The Catalans did nothing wrong! Madrid thwarted the democratically elected.
