Global National Security Case Precedents: Spain imposes heavy sentences on nine leaders advocating for Catalan independence

In October 2017, the Catalonia Autonomous Community in Spain held an independence referendum, announcing "independence" despite a ruling from the Spanish Constitutional Court that declared the referendum as a breach.

About 43% of voters participated in the election, with 90% of them supporting Catalonia's independence from Spain. The Catalan Parliament declared independence on October 27, 2017.

Later, the Spanish government announced the revocation of Catalonia's autonomy, dissolving the regional government and parliament. The Spanish Attorney General charged former Catalan officials, including Carles Puigdemont, with crimes including rebellion and embezzlement.

Oriol Junqueras, the then-Catalan vice president, was convicted of sedition and embezzlement, receiving a 13-year prison sentence. Nine representatives of the Catalan independence movement have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 9 to 13 years for sedition and embezzlement.

The former president of the Parliament, Carme Forcadell, was convicted of sedition and sentenced to 11 years and 6 months in prison. Jordi Sanchez, a former Catalan MP and an active figure in the independence movement was also convicted of sedition and sentenced to 9 years in prison. Entrepreneur Jordi Cuixart was similarly convicted of sedition and received a 9-year prison sentence.

Spanish Judge Pablo Llarena has requested to reactivate an international arrest warrant for Puigdemont on charges of sedition and embezzlement. Puigdemont subsequently fled to Belgium. Previously, a Spanish court had withdrawn the European arrest warrant against him, retaining only the domestic arrest warrant in Spain.

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