Spanish prosecutors ask the Madrid court to sentence Catalan separatists leaders for up to 25 years on rebellion charges

MADRID, Spain – Spanish prosecutors called Friday, November 2, for Catalan separatist leaders to be jailed for up to 25 years on charges of rebellion or misuse of public funds over last year's failed secession bid. The attorney general said the supreme court should try former Catalan vice-president Oriol Junqueras, six other politicians and two rank-and-file leaders for rebellion for their role in an outlawed referendum held in October 2017, which was followed by a declaration of independence. But in a sign Spain's socialist government disagreed, the attorney general's office announced it would ask for just 12 years jail for Junqueras, accusing him of sedition and misuse of public funds rather than the more serious charge of rebellion. In a separate case, prosecutors said they were seeking four to 11 years jail against former regional police leaders including Catalonia's then police chief Josep Lluis Trapero, who is also accused of rebellion.
The Spanish Attorney General seeks jail terms for Catalan independence leaders for the crime of rebellion with the highest requested penalty being 25 years against Oriol Junqueras. The State's Advocacy is asking for prison sentences for only the lesser crimes of sedition and embezzlement.