13 Catalan separatist leaders charged with rebellion

MADRID — A Spanish Supreme Court judge charged 13 Catalan separatist politicians with rebellion Friday for their attempts to make the region independent of Spain, dealing a heavy blow to the secessionist movement with an indictment that could put its political elite behind bars for decades.

Judge Pablo Llarena ordered five of the Catalan politicians who answered a court summons Friday to be held without bail. Another of the summoned politicians, the ERC party’s Marta Rovira, did not heed the order and announced in a letter that she was fleeing the country to live “in exile.” Spanish media reported that she went to Switzerland.

The judge also ordered that European and international arrest warrants be issued for six fugitive Catalan politicians, including former regional president Carles Puigdemont and Rovira.

The charges of rebellion stem from an illegal independence declaration by the Catalan parliament last October. Rebellion is punishable with up to 30 years in prison.

One of those jailed Friday was former Catalan government minister Jordi Turull, the third candidate since the December election to become Catalan president. Turull failed to gain enough votes from regional lawmakers on Thursday, but in theory had a second chance to be voted in Saturday by a simple majority.