Imagine if what just happened in Spain, happened here. Imagine if the Scottish government declared the date for a second independence referendum against the wishes of the Prime Minister. Imagine if the referendum went ahead anyway and Ken MacIntosh, the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament was jailed for 11 years for allowing the Scottish Parliament to organise the referendum. Imagine Nicola Sturgeon was forced into exile in Brussels and half of her cabinet were sentenced to 12 years in prison; and if Sally Mapstone, the President of the Scottish cultural association, the Saltire Society, was sent down for 9 years.
This is exactly what has just happened in Spain. Elected representatives and cultural leaders sent down for a very very long time, for seeking a democratic settlement to the political crisis in Catalonia.
Elected representatives and cultural leaders [have been] sent down for a very very long time, for seeking a democratic settlement to the political crisis in Catalonia.
The leaders of the two major cultural societies Jordi Sànchez and Jordi Cuixart were convicted of sedition. Key evidence in their case was that they shouted No Pasaran!, the anti-fascist slogan that is commonplace in demonstrations of all kinds in Catalonia. Six former members of the government: Oriol Junqueras, Joaquim Forn, Jordi Turull, Raül Romeva, Josep Rull and Dolors Bassa have been convicted of sedition and misuse of public funds. The misuse of public funds charge relates to expenditure of public money on the referendum which had been approved by the Catalan parliament. Three other former ministers Meritxell Borràs, Carles Mundó and Santi Vila were convicted of misuse of funds and ‘serious disobedience of public authority’.
