European court rejects Catalan separatists' suit

MADRID (AP) - The European Court of Human Rights has rejected a suit brought by Catalan separatist lawmakers claiming that Spain's top court violated their rights when it ruled to suspend a regional parliamentary session to declare independence in 2017.

The court in Strasbourg said Tuesday that the decision by Spain's Constitutional Court to suspend the Catalan parliament's session on Oct. 2017 "was aimed at protecting the Constitutional order" and taken "in the interests of public safety (and) for the prevention of disorder."

Catalan lawmakers held the session regardless. Their declaration of independence received no international recognition.

If the 12 separatists currently on trial for rebellion at Spain's Supreme Court are found guilty, it is expected that they will attempt to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.