"We strongly condemn the long prison sentences that Jordi Sànchez and Jordi Cuixart have been sentenced for peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression and assembly," said Salil Tripathi, chairman of the PEN International Imprisoned Authors' Committee and also urges the Spanish authorities to immediately them.
Jordi Sànchez and Jordi Cuixart were arrested in October 2017. The trial against them and other Catalan activists and politicians began in February this year and lasted for four months. All denied the allegations of revolt and incitement, but acknowledged the less serious allegations of civil disobedience - something that does not justify a prison sentence, Swedish PEN writes on its website.
Plans general strikeFormer MEP Jordi Sànchez has also been president of the ANC, an organization that fights Catalonia's political independence from Spain. He has also written several reports on social equality, public policy and education as well as a number of academic articles.
Jordi Cuixart is president of nmnium Cultural, a non-profit organization that supports Catalan culture and defends Catalonia's national rights. He is also a poet.
After the verdict against them and the other activists and politicians fell on Monday, reactions from the Catalan side have been extensive with demonstrations and riots. On Friday, a general strike is planned in Barcelona and CDR, a terrorist-suspected grassroots movement, has promised to offer "surprises".