Hearings started on 12th February this year in the trial in Spain's Supreme Court of twelve civil and political Catalan pro-independence leaders over their roles in the 2017 independence push. Now, eight months later, the panel of seven judges has announced its verdicts and sentences. Judge Manuel Marchena and his colleagues will send nine of the twelve defendants - Oriol Junqueras, Jordi Turull, Joaquim Forn, Josep Rull, Raül Romeva, Dolors Bassa, Carme Forcadell, Jordi Sànchez, and Jordi Cuixart to prison for a total of 100 years. Carles Mundó, Mertixell Borràs and Santi Vila will receive fines.
The nine convicted to jail terms are currently in custody. Mundó, Borràs and Vila all spent between one night and one month in prison in 2017 before they were granted bail. The others have all been held in provisional detention for periods approaching two years; in the case of Cuixart and Sànchez they have already been in custody for just one day short of two years.
Below we break down the role of each of the defendants in the events of 2017, the exact sentences they face and how they compare to what the different prosecution groups were calling for.
The twelve defendants
Oriol Junqueras
Catalan vice-president and economy minister
Sentenced to 13 years in prison for sedition and misuse of public funds. Banned from holding public office for 13 years.
Accusations and sentences demanded
Public prosecutor: Rebellion, misuse of public funds. 25 years' jail.
State solicitor: Sedition, misuse of public funds. 12 years' jail.
Vox: Rebellion, criminal conspiracy, misuse of public funds. 74 years' jail.
Prosecutors' arguments:
Oriol Junqueras is, in the absence of Carles Puigdemont, the visible head of the Catalan government that held the referendum and declared Catalonia's independence. Alleged to be the main proponent of the process within the government, Junqueras had ultimate responsibility for the preparation and execution of polling day (a task that was coordinated by his number two, Josep Maria Jové) and, according to the prosecutions, he decided to carry on despite the security risks advised by the Catalan Mossos police.
Jordi Sànchez
Former president of the Catalan National Assembly (ANC)
Sentenced to 9 years in prison for sedition. Banned from holding public office for 9 years.
Accusations and sentences demanded
Public prosecutor: Rebellion. 17 years' jail.
State solicitor: Sedition. 8 years' jail.
Vox: Rebellion, criminal conspiracy. 52 years' jail.
Prosecutors' arguments:
Jordi Sànchez and Jordi Cuixart are also considered to be organisers, in their case with key roles on the civil side of the process as leaders of ANC and Òmnium Cultural, the pro-independence associations that allegedly played a "crucial role" in putting pressure on Spain. Prosecutors say they were essential in encouraging the public to occupy voting centres ahead of the vote and on the day itself, to ensure the referendum went ahead, as well as encouraging the blocked of the Catalan economy ministry on 20th September 2017 as the Civil Guard searched inside.
Jordi Cuixart
President of Òmnium Cultural
Sentenced to 9 years in prison for sedition. Banned from holding public office for 9 years.
Accusations and sentences demanded
Public prosecutor: Rebellion. 17 years' jail.
State solicitor: Sedition. 8 years' jail.
Vox: Rebellion, criminal conspiracy. 52 years' jail.
Prosecutors' arguments:
Jordi Sànchez and Jordi Cuixart are also considered to be organisers, in their case with key roles on the civil side of the process as leaders of ANC and Òmnium Cultural, the pro-independence associations that allegedly played a "crucial role" in putting pressure on Spain. Prosecutors say they were essential in encouraging the public to occupy voting centres ahead of the vote and on the day itself, to ensure the referendum went ahead, as well as encouraging the blocked of the Catalan economy ministry on 20th September 2017 as the Civil Guard searched inside.
Carme Forcadell
Speaker of the Catalan Parliament
Sentenced to 11 years 6 months in prison for sedition. Banned from holding public office for 11 years 6 months.
Accusations and sentences demanded
Public prosecutor: Rebellion. 17 years' jail.
State solicitor: Sedition. 10 years' jail.
Vox: Rebellion, criminal conspiracy. 52 years' jail.
Prosecutors' arguments:
As the highest-ranking representative of legislative power in Catalonia, she is also classified as an "organiser" in the charges. Under her speakership, the Board of Parliament allowed the chamber to consider the initiatives which, on September 6th and 7th, would eventually become the "laws of disconnection from the state". She is also accused of allowing the parliamentary vote - completely rejected by the opposition - on the declaration of independence and the start of a constituent process for the new republic.
Jordi Turull
Minister of the presidency
Sentenced to 12 years in prison for sedition and misuse of public funds. Banned from holding public office for 12 years.
Accusations and sentences demanded
Public prosecutor: Rebellion, misuse of public funds. 16 years' jail.
State solicitor: Sedition, misuse of public funds. 11 years and 6 months' jail.
Vox: Rebellion, criminal conspiracy, misuse of public funds. 74 years' jail.
Prosecutors' arguments:
Responsible for the presidency ministry, which managed the institutional publicity strategy for the referendum, allegedly paid for with public funds. With other ministers, he authorized contracting for the referendum, including for the creation of websites (some duplicated to make police action difficult) and computer programs required. He also controlled the Telecommunications and Information Technology Centre (CTTI) .
Joaquim Forn
Interior minister
Sentenced to 10 years 6 months in prison for sedition. Banned from holding public office for 10 years 6 months.
Accusations and sentences demanded
Public prosecutor: Rebellion, misuse of public funds. 16 years' jail.
State solicitor: Sedition, misuse of public funds. 11 years and 6 months' jail.
Vox: Rebellion, criminal conspiracy, misuse of public funds. 74 years' jail.
Prosecutors' arguments:
Catalan interior minister and responsible for the law and order policies carried out by the Catalan Mossos d'Esquadra police. Like Junqueras, he has been in prison since 2nd November 2017 and is accused of giving the Mossos the order to press on with the referendum, despite the potential security risks, and encouraging the Catalan public to go and vote in large numbers.
Raül Romeva
Foreign minister
Sentenced to 12 years in prison for sedition and misuse of public funds. Banned from holding public office for 12 years.
Accusations and sentences demanded
Public prosecutor: Rebellion, misuse of public funds. 16 years' jail.
State solicitor: Sedition, misuse of public funds. 11 years and 6 months' jail.
Vox: Rebellion, criminal conspiracy, misuse of public funds. 74 years' jail.
Prosecutors' arguments:
Romeva was in charge of the government's foreign strategy aimed at winning support for the process internationally. He directed the Public Diplomacy Council of Catalonia (Diplocat), a "type of diplomatic corps parallel to that of the state", which according to the public prosecutor, acted as a lobby for the process abroad. Under his direction, Catalan offices abroad were created, international websites were built to provide information about the referendum, an international image campaign for the Catalan government was held and international observers for the referendum were organized.
Dolors Bassa
Minister of labour, social affairs and family
Sentenced to 12 years in prison for sedition and misuse of public funds. Banned from holding public office for 12 years.
Accusations and sentences demanded
Public prosecutor: Rebellion, misuse of public funds. 16 years' jail.
State solicitor: Sedition, misuse of public funds. 11 years and 6 months' jail.
Vox: Rebellion, criminal conspiracy, misuse of public funds. 74 years' jail.
Prosecutors' arguments:
Bassa allegedly cancelled the powers that her department's officials had over polling stations in order to ensure the centres would be available on the day of the vote, and also developed a volunteer base and encouraged turnout.
Josep Rull
Regional minister
Sentenced to 10 years 6 months in prison for sedition. Banned from holding public office for 10 years 6 months.
Accusations and sentences demanded
Public prosecutor: Rebellion, misuse of public funds. 16 years' jail.
State solicitor: Sedition, misuse of public funds. 11 years and 6 months' jail.
Vox: Rebellion, criminal conspiracy, misuse of public funds. 74 years' jail.
Prosecutors' arguments:
In addition to "encouraging citizens to vote on 1st October, despite being aware that it was illegal and that there were security risks," he "arbitrarily" prohibited a ship transporting police from docking at Palamós on the Costa Brava.
Meritxell Borràs
Governance minister
Sentenced to a fine of 60,000 euros for disobedience. Banned from holding public office for 1 year 8 months.
Accusations and sentences demanded
Public prosecutor: Disobedience, misuse of public funds. 7 years' jail, 30,000 euro fine.
State solicitor: Disobedience, misuse of public funds. 7 years' jail.
Vox: Disobedience, criminal conspiracy, misuse of public funds. 24 years' jail.
Prosecutors' arguments:
Borràs along with the other members of the government made the decisions to carry out and organize the referendum, disobeying judicial orders and using public funds illegitimately for this purpose.
Carles Mundó
Justice minister
Sentenced to a fine of 60,000 euros for disobedience. Banned from holding public office for 1 year 8 months.
Accusations and sentences demanded
Public prosecutor: Disobedience, misuse of public funds. 7 years' jail and 30,000 euro fine.
State solicitor: Disobedience, misuse of public funds. 7 years' jail.
Vox: Disobedience, criminal conspiracy, misuse of public funds. 24 years' jail.
Prosecutors' arguments:
Mundó along with the other members of the government made the decisions to carry out and organize the referendum, disobeying judicial orders and using public funds illegitimately for this.
Santi Vila
Minister of Enterprise and Knowledge
Sentenced to a fine of 60,000 euros for disobedience. Banned from holding public office for 1 year 8 months.
Accusations and sentences demanded
Public prosecutor: Disobedience, misuse of public funds. 7 years' jail and 30,000 euro fine.
State solicitor: Disobedience, misuse of public funds. 7 years' jail.
Vox: Disobedience, criminal conspiracy, misuse of public funds. 24 years' jail.
Prosecutors' arguments:
Vila, along with the other members of the government, made the decisions to carry out and organize the referendum, disobeying judicial orders and using public funds illegitimately for this.