Spain’s constitutional court rules Catalan referendum law unconstitutional and void

Spain's Constitutional Court on Tuesday ruled that the referendum law passed by the Catalan regional government on September 6 to hold a vote on independence unconstitutional and void.

The court had initially suspended the referendum law as it studied its legality, though the Catalan government went ahead with the ballot regardless.

The banned referendum in Catalonia on October 1st saw 90 percent of those who cast ballots vote for independence, but only 42 percent turnout from the region's voting population.

In its ruling, the Constitutional Court reiterated that Catalan authorities have a duty to "impede or freeze any initiative that could mean ignoring or avoiding the carrying out of this sentence".

A Madrid judge on Monday arrested and jailed two leaders of Catalonia's pro-independence movement.

The judge ruled they were the organisers of massive demonstrations on September 20-21 in Barcelona that hindered a police operation against preparations for the October 1 independence referendum.