Spanish Supreme Court judge order sending Catalan separatists into jail

MADRID, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Spanish Supreme Court Judge Pablo Llanera on Friday ordered sending five Catalan separatist leaders to prison without the chance of bail to await trial after charging them with "rebellion", a crime carrying a possible sentence of up to 30 years in jail.

The five people sent to prison are Jordi Turull, who will not face the second vote selecting the new leader of the Catalan region on Saturday, along with former Catalan speaker Carme Forcadell, and former government officials Ral Romeva, Josep Rull and Dolors Bassa.

The Spanish government refused to comment on the decision.Reports of the Spanish media said Turull has asked the Catalan regional assembly not to suspend Saturday's investiture debate.

In total Judge Llanera charged 13 Catalan separatist leaders with "rebellion" and, in a 70-page summary, concluded that 25 Catalan leaders will face various charges ranging from of rebellion, misuse of public funds and disobedience related to the October 1 independence referendum, which was declared illegal by the Spanish Constitutional Court, and the October 27 unilateral declaration of independence.

Others to be charged with rebellion are former Catalan leader, Carles Puigdemont (currently in exile in Belgium) and his vice-president, Oriol Junqueras (who has been in preventive prison since November).

One person who did not appear at the court hearing was Marta Rovira, general secretary of the Republic Left Party. Rovira, who has also been charged with rebellion, decided to leave the county. Enditem