Spain Abolishes Criminal Article on Rebellion Used Against Catalan Leaders in 2019

Protesters wave Catalan pro-independence “Estelada” flags during a rally against changes to sedition lawMADRID (Sputnik) – The upper house of the Spanish parliament, the Senate, abolished on Thursday the article of the criminal code on rebellions, under which many leaders of the Catalan independence movement were convicted. “A total of 261 people voted, 140 voted for [abolition], 118 voted against, three abstained … The reform was finally approved,” Senate President Ander Gil Garcia said. This article will be replaced by another one called “Mass riots in a severe form,” which will lead to significant mitigation of punishment for this crime. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said earlier that the punishment under the article on rebellions was introduced into the Spanish criminal code in 1822, but since then the political reality in the country has changed significantly. At the same time, the opposition center-right People’s Party of Spain has a negative attitude towards these changes. Its representatives believe the prime minister took this step in order to promote personal interests. WorldCatalan Opposition Party Votes to Leave Coalition Government Over Independence Spat7 October, 20:39 GMTIn Catalonia, on October 1, 2017, at the initiative of the Catalan government, headed by Carles Puigdemont, a referendum on independence was held. Based on the results of the vote, the Catalan parliament declared independence. After that, the Spanish government introduced direct rule in the autonomous community and dissolved the parliament, and a number of members of the Catalan government, including Puigdemont, left the country. In October 2019, the Supreme Court sentenced 12 Catalan politicians and activists for organizing an unauthorized referendum and issuing a unilateral declaration of independence. Nine people were found guilty of mutiny and received sentences ranging from nine to 13 years in prison. Three were found guilty of insubordination and given fines. The Spanish government announced a pardon for the prisoners at the end of June 2021.

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