German Prosecutors Seek Catalan Ex-Leader Puigdemont's Extradition to Spain

10:57 GMT, 22 May 2018

BERLIN (Sputnik) - The Prosecutor General's Office of the German northern Schleswig-Holstein state is planning to extradite the ex-head of the Catalan government Carles Puigdemont to Spain, the local n-tv channel reported on Tuesday citing the prosecutor's spokesperson.

Sputnik

"This [decision] was the result of an examination of the Spanish extradition request," the spokesperson said.

In April, the German prosecutors already announced their plans to extradite Puigdemont to Spain, where he is wanted for rebellion and misuse of public funds over his role in the campaign for Catalonia's independence. However, a German court then ruled to release Puigdemont on bail. The court decided that extradition of the ex-Catalan leader to Spain was not possible on the charge of rebellion, since it did not see evidence that Puigdemont intended to use force to gain Catalan independence. The court, however, has not ruled out extradition on the charge of embezzlement.

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In late October, Puigdemont left Spain for Belgium, where he was arrested under an EU warrant. However, a Spanish judge subsequently canceled the warrant until the investigation into Puigdemont is completed. The arrest warrant was renewed on March 23, after which the Catalan politician was detained in Germany as he was traveling back to Belgium by car from Finland.

The Catalan government and parliament were dissolved by the Spanish central government after the October 1 independence referendum, and the adoption of a resolution on Catalonia's independence from Spain by the regional authorities.