Nine Catalan separatists freed after Spain pardon

Sant Joan de Vilatorrada, Spain: Nine Catalan separatists who were serving long prison sentences for their role in a failed 2017 independence bid were released from jail on Wednesday, a day after being pardoned by Spain.

The seven men left the Lledoners jail, some 70 kilometres (45 miles) northwest of Barcelona, where they were met in the rain by umbrella-carrying supporters shouting "Independence, independence!"

As they walked through the gates, they were embraced by newly-appointed Catalan leader Pere Aragones and posed for a photograph alongside a Catalan independence flag and a banner reading "Freedom for Catalonia", an AFP correspondent said.

"Long live a free Catalonia!" said Oriol Junqueras, who was deputy head of the Catalan government at the time of the crisis and the prisoner serving the longest sentence of 13 years. "Until the day of victory, we will continue to work with everyone to make this dream of a Catalan republic a reality." Two women were also freed from separate prisons, just hours after the pardons for all nine separatists were published in the government’s official gazette.