Spanish government to grant pardon to Catalan independence leaders

While the convicts will be released from prison with the pardon in question, exempt from their remaining sentences, the government does not want to pay attention to calls for a general amnesty that would erase their crime completely.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced in Barcelona that he would give the green light to pardon nine jailed Catalan leaders.

Speaking at the prestigious Liceu theatre, Socialist Prime Minister Sanchez said that "Tomorrow, I will propose to the Council of Ministers the pardon of the nine convicted politicians”

As Sanchez stated that “the Spanish government prefers reconciliation" and "believes that this pardon will pave the way", some people from the crowd gathered in front of the theatre and called for “full pardon”. Some others, on the other hand, criticized that this pardon was a hoax.

While the convicts will thus be released from prison with the pardon in question, exempt from their remaining sentences, the government does not want to pay attention to calls for a general amnesty that would erase their crime completely.

The Catalan independence leaders were put in prison in 2017 over the independence referendum.