Former Catalan president stands trial over illegal vote

By Alyssa McMurtry

MADRID (AA) - Three senior Catalan politicians -- including the former president of the Spanish region -- stood trial on Monday, accused of defying the authorities over a symbolic independence referendum in 2014.

Former Catalan leader Artur Mas and two other officials face charges of disobedience and perversion of justice. If convicted, Mas could be banned from political office for 10 years.

The non-binding referendum was deemed illegal by the Spanish Constitutional Court but, after changing some key terms, Catalans held the vote anyway.

Turnout was between 36 and 40 percent; the result saw 81 percent backing Catalan independence.

Speaking at his trial in Barcelona on Monday, Mas said the referendum was legal because it relied on outside volunteers.

“The initiative for the symbolic referendum was mine and that of my government,” said Mas.

“My initiative had deep roots that were clear and strictly democratic,” he added.

Approximately 40,000 Catalonian separatists marched in support of the three accused outside of the Barcelona court on Monday, according to leading Spanish daily El Pais.

This highly political trial will test how far the Spanish legal system is willing to go to punish the Catalan government for breaking the law.

The current Catalan government has vowed to hold another referendum, this time legally binding, by September this year.

Monday's trial has also become a rallying cry for separatists and it even has the potential to push Mas and other politicians to the status of political martyrdom.

A survey published in January by Spanish daily La Vanguardia suggested 77 percent of Catalans want a referendum, although their opinion is split on whether to separate from Spain.

The Spanish government has repeatedly said that a referendum in Catalonia would be unconstitutional and has vowed to use any legal means to stop it from happening.