Two more jailed Catalan separatist leaders awaiting trial for their role in the region's failed bid to secede from Spain joined a hunger strike started two days ago by two of their companions to protest against their treatment by Spanish courts. After Catalonia declared independence last year, Madrid took direct control of the region and brought charges including misuse of public funds and rebellion against Catalan leaders, nine of whom are in jail awaiting trial. Two of the leaders in custody, Josep Rull and Joaquim Forn, released a statement saying they would join the hunger strike started on Saturday by Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Turull. "We also voluntarily renounce food intake as of 8:00 p.m. on Monday," the men said in a statement. The men said they were fasting to support Sanchez and Turull's protest against the failure of Spanish courts to process numerous appeals in relation to their cases </s> FILE PHOTO: Jordi Turull, a Catalan separatist leader, walks with his wife Blanca Bragulat after leaving Spain's Supreme Court in Madrid where he testified for an investigation into his role in Catalonia's bid for independence, March 23, 2018. REUTERS/Susana Vera/File Photo

MADRID (Reuters) - Two more jailed Catalan separatist leaders awaiting trial for their role in the region’s failed bid to secede from Spain joined a hunger strike started two days ago by two of their companions to protest against their treatment by Spanish courts.

After Catalonia declared independence last year, Madrid took direct control of the region and brought charges including misuse of public funds and rebellion against Catalan leaders, nine of whom are in jail awaiting trial.

Two of the leaders in custody, Josep Rull and Joaquim Forn, released a statement saying they would join the hunger strike started on Saturday by Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Turull.

“We also voluntarily renounce food intake as of 8:00 p.m. on Monday,” the men said in a statement.

The men said they were fasting to support Sanchez and Turull’s protest against the failure of Spanish courts to process numerous appeals in relation to their cases. </s> FILE PHOTO: Catalan politicians Josep Rull (L) and Jordi Turull arrive together to the Supreme Court after being summoned and facing investigation for their part in Catalonia's bid for independence in Madrid, Spain, March 23, 2018. REUTERS/Susana Vera FILE PHOTO: Catalan politicians Josep Rull (L) and Jordi Turull arrive together to the Supreme Court after being summoned and facing investigation for their part in Catalonia's bid for independence in Madrid, Spain, March 23, 2018. REUTERS/Susana Vera

MADRID (Reuters) – Four jailed Catalan separatist leaders, incarcerated since October 2017 ahead of a trial for their involvement in a push by the region for independence, called off a hunger strike on Thursday, their spokeswoman said.

“Today, after 20 days since it began, we are ending our hunger strike,” the spokeswoman Pilar Calvo said reading a statement from the protesters, Jordi Turull, Josep Rull, Jordi Sanchez and Joaquim Forn. </s> Four imprisoned Catalan politicians awaiting trial after a failed secessionist bid on Thursday decided to give up a hunger strike protest after nearly three weeks, according to their spokesperson.

Former regional ministers Jordi Turull, Josep Rull and Joaquim Forn, as well as the president of the separatist civil association Catalan National Assembly (ANC) Jordi Sánchez, are currently in pre-trial detention on charges of rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds for their role in organizing a referendum on the prosperous northeastern Spanish region's independence from the rest of the country that was deemed unconstitutional by the judiciary. </s> MADRID (Reuters) - Four jailed Catalan separatist leaders, incarcerated since October 2017 ahead of a trial for their involvement in a push by the region for independence, called off a hunger strike on Thursday, their spokeswoman said.

“Today, after 20 days since it began, we are ending our hunger strike,” the spokeswoman Pilar Calvo said reading a statement from the protesters, Jordi Turull, Josep Rull, Jordi Sanchez and Joaquim Forn. </s> Four jailed Catalan separatist leaders are abandoning their hunger strike more than two weeks after starting it because they consider that their protest has achieved its goals, a spokeswoman for the politicians said. They are awaiting trial for their part in last year’s attempt to secede from Spain. The strike has prompted Spain’s Constitutional Court to review some of their appeals, which enables them to take their case to the European Court of Human Rights, spokeswoman Pilar Calvo said on Thursday. Pro-independence activist-turned-politician Jordi Sanchez and former Catalan cabinet member Jordi Turull began their hunger strike on December 1. Ex-regional ministers Josep Rull and Joaquim Forn joined two days later, AP said. According to the Constitutional Court, the appeals are following the “normal judicial calendar.”
Jailed Catalan independentists leaders Joaquim Forn and Josep Rull joins Sànchez and Turull in the hunger strike.