Spain jails Catalan leaders up to 13 years for independence bidFor many, the situation has brought back memories of the run-up to the referendum of Oct 1, 2017. MADRID: Spain's Supreme Court on Monday sentenced nine Catalan leaders to prison terms of between nine and 13 years for sedition for their role in a failed 2017 independence bid. Former Catalan regional Carles Puigdemont called the sentences an "outrage." Only three of the 12 leaders, who faced lesser charges, escaped jail time and were handed a fine. The situation is worrying the main Catalan business lobby which said although the verdict would have a "significant emotional impact", it was important the response avoided disrupting "business activity or social cohesion".

Source: Bangkok Post October 14, 2019 08:03 UTC