First Photographs of the Pro-Independence Prisoners in the Supreme Court Dock

The nine pro-independence leaders in preventive prison have sat in the dock of the Supreme Court in the most significant trial in the recent history of Spanish democracy. They have done so alongside former ministers Meritxell Borràs, Carles Mundó and Santi Vila.

The twelve accused parties are located in the centre of the courtroom, facing the bench, sitting in four rows of three persons each. At the forefront were Oriol Junqueras, Raül Romeva and Joaquim Forn, followed by Jordi Sánchez, Jordi Turull and Josep Rull. Jordi Cuixart, Carme Forcadell and Dolors Bassa sat at the third row, and Mundó, Vila and Borràs were at the rear.

This is the first time that they have been brought together since they were imprisoned, and these are the first pictures of Forcadell and Bassa since then. 

Oriol Junqueras listening to his defence counsel's statement.

The accused greeted their families and acquaintances from a distance

Joaquim Forn observing the courtroom.

The trial began with the reading of a summary of the case by the president of the court, Manuel Marchena, accompanied by six more magistrates.

The defence counsels sat on one of the sides of the courtroom, to the right of the bench.

The prosecution -the State Attorney General, the Government Attorney's Office and the private prosecution, Vox- sit to the left of the bench. Javier Zaragoza and Fidel Cadena were present on behalf of the State Attorney General today, and Vox was represented by Javier Ortega Smith.  

The accused as seen from the prosecutions' table.

Andreu Van den Eynde, the defence counsel of Oriol Junqueras and Raül Romeva, opened the pleadings of the defences in the Catalan independence trial. 

Behind the accused, in the front row, were President Quim Torra, accompanied by ministers Ester Capella and Damià Calvet.

Related interactive resource: "The key areas in the trial"