Hearing to decide on Catalan pro-independence leaders' incarceration underway

The hearing to three jailed pro-independence leaders started on Thursday morning at the Spanish Supreme Court. Catalan pro-independence grass-root leader Jordi Sànchez was the first one to testify. Another civil society dignitary Jordi Cuixart, and the Catalan home affairs minister Joaquim Forn have also been summoned to appear before the Spanish Supreme Court, following a request they submitted to appeal for their release.

In a two-hour long hearing, Sànchez told the judge that he does not back unilateral independence, say judicial sources, and that he would resign as MP if separation from Spain was attempted unilaterally. He also recognized that the October 1 referendum on independence was illegal according to the Spanish law, and that pro-independence parties and grassroots organizations shared a common roadmap to achieve their goals.

Cuixart told the judge that the only valid independence referendum in Catalonia would be one called by the Spanish government, and restated his "profoundly peaceful convictions." He also ruled out joining politics and said that unilateral plans are no means to achieve independence.

Sànchez, Cuixart and Forn are expected to clearly state before the Supreme Court judge that they only support a bilateral way to achieve independence, in agreement with Spain and abiding by the Spanish Constitution.

Sànchez and Cuixart were sent to pre-trial prison on October 16, after being charged with "sedition" for having promoted a rally outside the Catalan economy department while being raided by Spanish police on September 20. While Sànchez acknowledged that some acts of vandalism occurred, he rejected labeling them as violent.

Forn was jailed on November 2, along with six more Catalan deposed ministers, accused of rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds, some days after the Catalan Parliament declared independence. Six of the members of the Catalan government, all of them deposed by the Spanish government, were released on bail on December 4, while Forn and deposed vice president Oriol Junqueras are still in pre-trial detention.

Sànchez and Cuixart presented videos of the September 20 protests in their defense. In the footage, the two civil society leaders can be seen asking demonstrators to stay calm, to isolate those who display violent behaviour, as well as eventually asking people to leave the place.