BARCELONA: Catalonia’s former separatist chief Artur Mas will stand trial for staging a symbolic independence vote, judicial authorities said on Thursday, just weeks after the Spanish region’s current president promised a referendum.

In his court order, the investigating magistrate said Mas would take the stand on charges of “serious disobedience” and “malfeasance” for allowing the non-binding ballot to take place in November 2014 in the wealthy, northeastern region. He risks a 10-year ban on holding public office.

Mas had initially wanted to organise an independence referendum like the one held in Scotland, but the Spanish government went to court to block his plans.

The Constitutional Court upheld the government’s complaint, so Mas decided to go ahead with a symbolic vote instead.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2016