The Supreme Court (TC) has transferred the case of six politicians accused of helping organize the Catalan independence referendum to a lower court, following their appeals to be tried at Spain’s High Court in Catalonia (TSJC).

The TC accepted the petitions from defendants accused of disobedience: former CUP MP Mireia Boya, and former parliament bureau members Lluís Guinó, Ramona Barrufet, Lluís Corominas, Joan Josep Nuet, and Anna Simó.

The appeals from former Catalan ministers, pro-independence activists, and the former parliament speaker were rejected. The accusations they face include the more serious offences of rebellion and misuse of public funds.

In total, 18 people will be tried in the coming weeks for their role in the independence bid, which led to a referendum and a declaration of independence a year ago.

Leaders accused of rebellion are in jail while awaiting trial, with some having spent more than a year behind bars.