Why did Spain free independence leaders? - exploring the reasons behind the pardons
<p dir="ltr"><span>On June 22, the Spanish government </span><a href="../../../../../catalan-trial/item/pardons-for-jailed-independence-leaders-how-did-we-get-here">granted pardons</a><span> to Catalan independence leaders jailed for their roles in organizing the 2017 independence push, in order to foster social reconciliation with the Catalan government. The </span><a href="../../../../../catalan-trial/item/independence-leaders-walk-free-following-spain-s-pardons-after-3-5-years-in-prison">next day, the leaders walked free from their cells</a><span>. </span></p>
<p><a href="../../../../../catalan-trial/item/independence-referendum-trial-verdict-who-faces-what">The nine politicians and activists spent around 3.5 years behind bars, including a lengthy pre-trial detention</a>. They were found guilty of sedition for leading Catalonia’s referendum push and attempt to declare independence from Spain in the fall of 2017. </p>
<p>To understand the underlying motivations behind the pardons, <a href="../../../../../politics/item/why-did-spain-free-independence-leaders-exploring-the-reasons-behind-the-pardons">we speak to Marc Sanjaume</a>, a professor of Political Science at the Universitat Oberta of Catalonia (UOC) and a member of the Political Theory Research Group (GRTP). He has a PhD in Political Science from Pompeu Fabra University and he was a former advisor on comparative politics at the Institute for Self-Government Studies of the Institutional Government of Catalonia. </p> / ACN