Catalonia Agrees to Ease Conditions for Politicians Sentenced for 2017 Independence Vote

MADRID (Sputnik) – The government of Spain’s Catalonia autonomous region on Tuesday announced a decision to soften prison conditions for politicians responsible for the so-called independence referendum in 2017.

Earlier this month, the administrations of three prisons, where the aforementioned politicians are serving their sentences, requested to ease their confinement status. Several months ago, they were allowed to leave prisons for several hours for work or volunteering.

The government’s secretariat on penal measures has approved the proposal, meaning that the inmates in question will only have to stay in prison during nighttime and can stay at home on weekends.

The decision, however, can still be appealed by the prosecutor’s office.

Catalonia declared independence in October 2017 after a referendum found that the majority of those who voted wanted to split from Spain. The turnout was less than 50 percent. Madrid did not recognize the referendum and went on to dismiss the regional government and dissolve the local legislature, imposing direct rule over the region.

In 2019, Spain’s top court sentenced nine Catalan independence leaders to prison terms ranging from nine to 13 years over their involvement in organizing the referendum.

Sourse: sputniknews.com