Spain frees pardoned Catalan separatists

Catalan leaders imprisoned for their role in the 2017 push for an independent republic gather Wednesday outside Lledoners prison in Sant Joan de Vilatorrada near Barcelona, Spain.
(AP/Joan Mateu)
Catalan leaders imprisoned for their role in the 2017 push for an independent republic gather Wednesday outside Lledoners prison in Sant Joan de Vilatorrada near Barcelona, Spain. (AP/Joan Mateu)

MADRID -- Nine Catalan separatists pardoned by the Spanish government walked out of prison Wednesday to the cheers of supporters, leaving behind their lengthy sentences for organizing a bid four years ago to make Catalonia an independent republic.

Spain's Cabinet pardoned them Tuesday in the hope of starting what Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called much-needed reconciliation in the country's restive northeastern region, although fervent local support for the pardoned separatists indicated the issue won't go away anytime soon.

Former Catalan vice president Oriol Junqueras, five fellow Cabinet members, the former regional parliament's speaker and two pro-independence activists walked free shortly after noon. They had spent between three-and-a-half and four years behind bars.

Spain's official gazette Wednesday published the government decree pardoning them.

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The freed separatists were met by dozens of cheering, clapping supporters and relatives who had gathered in the rain. The men, released in a group, held up a small banner that said, in English, "Freedom Catalonia," as well as a Catalan flag. They addressed their supporters in the Catalan language.

"We are aware that today, with our release from prison, nothing has ended," Junqueras told supporters in a defiant speech. "Prison does not scare us, it reinforces our ideas."

The Catalan regional president, Pere Aragones, and the speaker of the Catalan parliament, Laura Borras, also went to the prison for the separatists' release.

The pardon canceled the remainder of prison terms ranging from nine to 13 years over sedition and misuse of public funds linked to the 2017 banned referendum and a short-lived Catalonia independence declaration. But the separatists won't be able to hold public office until the end of their sentences and they could go back to prison if they break Spanish law again, the decree said.

Despite polls showing that many people in Spain were against the pardons, Sanchez has defended them, arguing that they are popular in Catalonia and that freeing the separatists will be a fresh start for relations between central and regional authorities.

The prime minister's office announced Wednesday that Sanchez and Aragones will meet in Madrid on June 29, exactly one week after the pardons, in their first encounter since the latter became Catalonia's regional chief earlier this year.

The political divisions were on full display Wednesday at the nation's parliament. Conservative opposition leader Pablo Casado called for the prime minister's resignation for issuing the pardons without consulting lawmakers.

"You are applauding an unfortunate day for Spain's democratic history, you are throwing the fate of the country into the hands of the separatists," Casado said, accusing Sanchez of lying because the Socialist leader had vowed not to make concessions to separatists when he came to power.

Sanchez responded saying the decision to issue pardons was "brave, restorative and in favor of coexistence."

Catalan separatist legislators called for the government to take a step further and urged it to follow the "Scottish way" -- in reference to Scotland's 2014 independence referendum that was authorized by the British government. Voters in Scotland elected to remain in the U.K.

Information for this article was contributed by Barry Hatton of The Associated Press.

Jordi Cuixart, one of the Catalan leaders imprisoned for their role in the 2017 push for an independent Catalan republic, holds a banner at Lledoners prison in Sant Joan de Vilatorrada, near Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, June 23, 2021. Nine separatists pardoned by the Spanish government are expected to leave the prisons where they were serving lengthy terms for organizing a bid for an independent northeastern Catalonia region nearly four years ago. Spain's official gazette published earlier in the day the government decree pardoning them. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)
Jordi Cuixart, one of the Catalan leaders imprisoned for their role in the 2017 push for an independent Catalan republic, holds a banner at Lledoners prison in Sant Joan de Vilatorrada, near Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, June 23, 2021. Nine separatists pardoned by the Spanish government are expected to leave the prisons where they were serving lengthy terms for organizing a bid for an independent northeastern Catalonia region nearly four years ago. Spain's official gazette published earlier in the day the government decree pardoning them. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)
A man places drawings of Catalan separatist leaders jailed for sedition outside Lledoners prison in Sant Joan de Vilatorrada, near Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, June 22, 2021. Nine Catalan separatist leaders jailed for sedition are eyeing freedom, after Spain's Cabinet pardoned them in the hope of starting what Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called a much-needed reconciliation in the country's restive northeast. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)
A man places drawings of Catalan separatist leaders jailed for sedition outside Lledoners prison in Sant Joan de Vilatorrada, near Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, June 22, 2021. Nine Catalan separatist leaders jailed for sedition are eyeing freedom, after Spain's Cabinet pardoned them in the hope of starting what Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called a much-needed reconciliation in the country's restive northeast. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)
A drawings of former president of Spain's Catalonia region, Carles Puigdemont and member of European Parliament is placed outside Lledoners prison in Sant Joan de Vilatorrada, near Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, June 22, 2021. Nine Catalan separatist leaders jailed for sedition are eyeing freedom, after Spain's Cabinet pardoned them in the hope of starting what Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called a much-needed reconciliation in the country's restive northeast. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)
A drawings of former president of Spain's Catalonia region, Carles Puigdemont and member of European Parliament is placed outside Lledoners prison in Sant Joan de Vilatorrada, near Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, June 22, 2021. Nine Catalan separatist leaders jailed for sedition are eyeing freedom, after Spain's Cabinet pardoned them in the hope of starting what Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called a much-needed reconciliation in the country's restive northeast. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)
Jordi Cuixart, one of the Catalan leaders imprisoned for their role in the 2017 push for an independent Catalan republic, makes the victory sign at Lledoners prison in Sant Joan de Vilatorrada, near Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, June 23, 2021. Nine separatists pardoned by the Spanish government are expected to leave the prisons where they were serving lengthy terms for organizing a bid for an independent northeastern Catalonia region nearly four years ago. Spain's official gazette published earlier in the day the government decree pardoning them. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)
Jordi Cuixart, one of the Catalan leaders imprisoned for their role in the 2017 push for an independent Catalan republic, makes the victory sign at Lledoners prison in Sant Joan de Vilatorrada, near Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, June 23, 2021. Nine separatists pardoned by the Spanish government are expected to leave the prisons where they were serving lengthy terms for organizing a bid for an independent northeastern Catalonia region nearly four years ago. Spain's official gazette published earlier in the day the government decree pardoning them. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)
Catalan leaders imprisoned for their role in the 2017 push for an independent Catalan republic, hold a banner and an "estelada" or Catalan pro-independence flag outside Lledoners prison in Sant Joan de Vilatorrada, near Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, June 23, 2021. Nine separatists pardoned by the Spanish government are expected to leave the prisons where they were serving lengthy terms for organizing a bid for an independent northeastern Catalonia region nearly four years ago. Spain's official gazette published earlier in the day the government decree pardoning them. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)
Catalan leaders imprisoned for their role in the 2017 push for an independent Catalan republic, hold a banner and an "estelada" or Catalan pro-independence flag outside Lledoners prison in Sant Joan de Vilatorrada, near Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, June 23, 2021. Nine separatists pardoned by the Spanish government are expected to leave the prisons where they were serving lengthy terms for organizing a bid for an independent northeastern Catalonia region nearly four years ago. Spain's official gazette published earlier in the day the government decree pardoning them. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)

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