Barca condemn sentences for Catalan secession leaders: Prison is not solution

Spain's supreme court has sentenced nine Catalan political leaders to prison, with sentences varying between nine and 13 years.

They have been found guilty of crimes of sedition and misuse of public funds due to their roles in the independence referendum that was organised and held without the federal government's approval on October 1, 2017, and FC Barcelona have criticised these rulings.

"FC Barcelona, as one of the leading entities in Catalonia and in accordance with its historical record for the defence of freedom of expression and the right to decide, today, after the condemnatory ruling issued by the supreme court in relation to the open process against the Catalan civic and political leaders, states the following," the statement started.

"In the same way that the preventive prison sentence didn't help to resolve the conflict, neither will the prison sentence given today, because prison is not the solution.

"The resolution of the conflict in Catalonia must come exclusively from political dialogue.

"Therefore, now more than ever, the club asks all political leaders to lead a process of dialogue and negotiation to resolve this conflict, which should also allow for the release of convicted civic and political leaders.

"FC Barcelona also expresses all its support and solidarity to the families of those who are deprived of their freedom."