Spain’s Supreme Court on Friday opened rebellion prosecutions against 13 Catalan independence leaders, jailing the proposed successor to deposed president Carles Puigdemont hours ahead of his planned inauguration.

Judge Pablo Llarena charged Mr Puigdemont and other separatist politicians with crimes that could see them sent to prison for up to 30 years over their role in October’s banned referendum and declaration of independence.

Jordi Turull, the latest presidential candidate, was last night ordered into preventative prison along with four others, a move that will frustrate secessionists’ efforts to have him inaugurated in a session scheduled for Saturday morning.

Supreme Court judge Pablo Llarena also issued international arrest warrants against Catalonia's former president Carles Puigdemont and four others involved in the region's independence movement who are now in self-imposed exile in Belgium.

An international warrant was also issued for a sixth Catalan separatist Marta Rovira who failed to appear in court on Friday and is now in non-EU Switzerland, according to Spanish media.