Spain has signalled a hardening line over Catalonia by jailing the leaders of two of the largest separatist organisations in a move seen as taking Madrid closer to imposing central rule over Catalonia. In the first imprisonment of senior secessionist figures since Catalonia’s 1 October independence referendum, the court ordered the heads of the Catalan National Assembly (ANC) and independence group Omnium to be held without bail pending an investigation for alleged sedition. The Catalan regional president, Carles Puigdemont, commented on Twitter: “Spain jails Catalonia’s civil society leaders for organising peaceful demonstrations. The Guardian view on Catalan independence: time to talk | Editorial Read moreThe article’s terms on direct rule, which has never been applied, are vague. It says Madrid can “adopt any measure” to force a region to meet its constitutional obligations, with the approval of Spain’s lower house.

Source: The Guardian October 17, 2017 00:14 UTC