Spain prosecutor calls for jailed Catalan leaders to be charged with rebellion, misappropriation of funds

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's public prosecutor on Friday called for charges against jailed Catalan political leaders involved in a push for independence for the north eastern region to include rebellion, disobedience and misappropriation of funds.

The prosecutor said in a statement it would seek the maximum penalty of a 25-year jail sentence for the leader of pro-Catalan-independence party ERC Oriol Junqueras on those charges.

Of the other eight currently in jail awaiting trial for their part in Catalonia's push for independence last year, the prosecutor called for sentences of up to 17 years on the same charges of rebellion and misappropriation of funds.

(Reporting by Paul Day; Editing by Andres Gonzalez)