- Title: "It's terribly unfair" - Barcelona residents say about Supreme Court sentence
- Date: 14th October 2019
- Summary: BARCELONA, SPAIN (OCTOBER 14, 2019) (REUTERS) PRO-INDEPENDENCE PROTESTERS CARRYING BANNERS AND BLOCKING ROADS AS THEY CHANT IN CATALAN, "FREEDOM FOR POLITICAL PRISONERS" VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS BLOCKING ROAD AND HOLDING BANNERS AS THEY CHANT IN CATALAN, "FREEDOM FOR POLITICAL PRISONERS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) TEACHER, ROBERT BUCH, SAYING: "The ruling is terribly unfair, it's a ruling that contradicts basic rights, the right to protest and gather, the right to free speech and parliamentary immunity. It's terribly unjust that a speaker of a parliament is in prison for allowing a debate, this doesn't happen anywhere else in the world. It is a legal aberration in every sense." (SOUNDBITE) (Catalan) CIVIL SERVANT, ANGELS UIBAL, SAYING: "When the Spanish state imprisoned our politicians and our legitimate government, it showed they don't have any more resources. They think that by doing that we will give up, but we will not. So this (sentence) for us is the beginning of the end. We have been quiet, waiting to see what was going to happen. We had hope for dialogue, but the state is not up for dialogue. The sentence is very unfair, it's a great shame and very poor democracy." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS BLOCKING ROADS VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING ON LA RAMBLA (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MAINTENANCE WORKER, ALFONSO ESPARRA, SAYING: "Some wanted to give them more (years), others less, some a middle point, but everything will carry on. There's no need to stick a finger in the wound, one must try to make things more peaceful and return to normality. At the end of the day people want normality in their day to day life and for real problems to be addressed. It's not about little flags. Little flags don't concern normal people like me. Whether it's one flag or another, flags don't resolve hunger." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RETIRED, FRANCESA, SAYING: "I feel it's excessive but I also think everything that's going on is excessive. That is, not only where we are now, but also before that. Whoever provoked all this is enjoying it and there are people in jail who are paying for someone else." SPANISH FLAG ON A BALCONY AND YELLOW RIBBON SYMBOLISING SOLIDARITY WITH JAILED LEADERS ON ANOTHER BALCONY VARIOUS OF PEOPLE ON BARCELONA STREETS VARIOUS OF PEOPLE LOOKING AT THEIR PHONES AS NEWS OF RULING IS MADE PUBLIC (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) HOSPITALITY WORKER, POL MARTINEZ, SAYING: "We knew what could happen and it's bad ... it's two digits, more than 10 years for most and they (sentences) are harsh because many of us hoped it would be a little less, but taking into account Spanish justice anything could happen and in the end it was the harshest it could be." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RETIRED, BERNARDO FERNANDEZ, SAYING: "If you break the law, you have to pay. It's the same for everyone, whether it's in Catalonia or Australia, it's the law. If they break the law, they have to lump it. There's no other way." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RETIRED, ASUNCION, SAYING: "It's a political trial designed to give the Catalans a lesson. That trial and ruling should never have happened. Simple." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE ON STREETS
- Embargoed: 28th October 2019 08:54
- Keywords: Catalonia independence Spain's Supreme court veredict jailed catalan separatist leaders Barcelona residents reaction
- Location: BARCELONA, SPAIN
- City: BARCELONA, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001B12IV5Z
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Supporters of Catalonia's independence on Monday (October 14) demanded the release of jailed separatist leaders as they blocked roads in the Catalan capital Barcelona and deemed the Supreme Court's ruling on case "unfair."
Spain's Supreme Court sentenced nine of 12 separatist leaders to between nine and 13 years in prison for sedition over their role in a failed independence bid.
In the deeply divided region, other Catalans welcomed the ruling.
An opinion poll in July showed 48.3% of Catalans against secession and 44% in favour.
Three other defendants who were also on trial for their involvement in a referendum held in spite of a ban and a short-lived independence declaration, were found guilty only of disobedience and not sentenced to prison.
(Production: Jordi Rubio / Miguel Pereira / Guillermo Martinez /Catherine Macdonald/May Ponzo, Josefina Avila, Lorena Cabral) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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