The leaders of a movement that pushed for Catalonian independence from Spain in 2017 have been released from prison, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says, despite calls for their continued incarceration.
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The move was necessary "to restore harmony and coexistence," he said, shortly after a cabinet meeting where the motion to pardon the nine prisoners was approved.
"We want to start a new chapter," Sanchez said.
"Spain's democracy wants to prove its greatness."
The prisoners organised a referendum in 2017 that they said proved there was a majority for Catalonian independence.
But the referendum was ruled to have been conducted illegally and charges were filed against the organisers.
The then-president of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont, only escaped prison time by fleeing to Belgium.
There has long been a vocal Catalonian movement for independence.
However, many Catalans are also happy remaining part of Spain.
The seven men and two women now being released have never indicated they will not continue trying to win Catalonian independence.
"It's not necessary that those involved change their viewpoints," Sanchez said, arguing that it had never been the government's goal to get them to change their mind.
"We don't expect them to do any such thing. They were never put away because of what they thought."
The members of the group were found guilty in 2019 of incitement and of wasting public funding to organise the referendum.
The sentences ranged from nine to 13 years.
Three others have already served their entire sentences.
Members of the conservative opposition criticised the decision, calling it a "blow to democracy" and promising an appeal to a higher court.
It has only been a week since mass protests against the idea of freeing the nine.
However, many activists and government supporters say it needs to go further, implementing a general amnesty, annulling the initial judgement and signalling that officials in Madrid would not stand in the way of a new independence referendum.
Australian Associated Press