BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Spanish authorities say that two leaders of Catalonia's separatist movement who have spent the last year in prison are starting a hunger strike.

Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Turull, regional lawmakers in northeastern Catalonia, have gone on a hunger strike Saturday to protest what they consider to be the unfair treatment of Spain's justice system, according to their lawyer, Jordi Pina.

Spain's government has responded by saying that "the separatist leaders will have a fair trial."

Sanchez and Turull are two of nine separatist leaders who are in pre-trial jail for their role in an illegal secession attempt by Catalonia's leaders last year.

They have been kept behind bars for the risk of continuing to push for secession, and for the risk they could join other separatist leaders who fled Spain.