On 9 November 2014, a non-binding 2014 Catalan self-determination referendum was held. Despite belonging to Spain, throughout the history of the region, separatist movements have existed at various moments in the past. The inhabitants of the region are mostly bilingual in Spanish and in Catalan, and have a distinct linguistic, cultural and historical heritage. Today, Catalonia is part of modern Spain. The whole of the Crown of Aragon united at the end of the 15th century with the Crown of Castile. Within the Crown, Barcelona and the other Catalan counties merged into the Principality of Catalonia. As the County of Barcelona, it joined the Crown of Aragon in the 12th century. The verdict delivered by the Supreme Court sparked multiple protests across the region.Ĭatalonia is an autonomous community in Spain, with the capital in Barcelona. Some of the defendants of the trial have expressed their intention to appeal to the Constitutional Court of Spain and the European Court of Human Rights. The court dismissed the charges of rebellion. The remaining three accused were found guilty of disobedience and were sentenced to pay a fine but received no prison term.

Their sentences ranged from 9 to 13 years. Nine of the 12 accused received prison sentences for the crimes of sedition of them, four were also found guilty of misuse of public funds. A unanimous verdict by the seven judges that tried the case was made public on 14 October 2019. The trial proceedings officially ended on 12 June 2019. The accused were tried for the events surrounding the organization and celebration of the 2017 Catalan independence referendum after it was declared illegal and was suspended by the Constitutional Court of Spain, the passing of laws to override the Constitution of Spain and Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia that were declared illegal and the Catalan declaration of independence on 27 October 2017.

Some defendants remained in pre-trial detention without bail from the beginning of the instruction process and have thus already served part of their sentence. Judge Pablo Llarena had previously coordinated an instruction between October 2017 and July 2018, as a result of which 12 people were tried, including the previous vice president Oriol Junqueras of the regional government and most of the cabinet as well as political activists Jordi Sànchez and Jordi Cuixart and the former Speaker of the Parliament of Catalonia Carme Forcadell. The case was tried by seven judges and was chaired by judge Manuel Marchena. The trial of Catalonia independence leaders, legally named Causa Especial 20907/2017 and popularly known as the Causa del procés, was an oral trial that began on 12 February 2019 in the Supreme Court of Spain.

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