The High Court of Justice of Catalonia has banned former Catalan president Artur Mas (2010-15) from holding public office until 23rd February 2020. Former ministers Joana Ortega and Irene Rigau are also banned for nine and six months respectively.
The court also requires Mas to pay the 36,500€ fine (£32,000; $42,000) he was imposed for disobedience over the unofficial 2014 referendum.
The three have now exhausted their appeals with a final verdict from the Supreme Court on 23rd January. With today's ruling, the Catalan court decrees their bans from office to have started counting down on that day. That final verdict had slightly reduced the punishments they faced.
The sentences
Specifically, Mas is banned from office for one year and one month and has to pay 36,500 euros; Ortega is banned for nine months and has to pay 30,000; and Rigua is banned for six months and has to pay 24,000.
The case derives from their roles in organising the unofficial independence referendum on 9th November 2014. At the time of the vote, Mas was president of Catalonia, Ortega was vice-president and Rigau was education minister.