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Catalan separatist Carles Puigdemont arrested in Italy Spain Catalonia: Top separatist Carles Puigdemont arrested in Italy
(about 2 hours later)
Carles Puigdemont has been living in self-imposed exile in Belgium Protesters outside the Italian consulate in Barcelona demanded Mr Puigdemont's release
Exiled Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont has been detained in Italy on a Spanish arrest warrant. An exiled politician wanted by Spain over a failed attempt to win independence for one of its biggest regions has been arrested in Italy.
Spain has accused him of sedition for a breakaway independence referendum in 2017 that the courts ruled illegal. Carles Puigdemont, former leader of the Catalonia region, is being held on a Spanish arrest warrant.
At the time he was president of Catalonia but fled to Belgium after the vote. He lives there and sits as a member of the European Parliament. He fled to Belgium after a banned independence referendum was crushed by Spain four years ago.
Police were apparently waiting for him at Sardinia's Alghero airport and he is due in court in the coming hours. Italian police were waiting for him at Alghero airport in Sardinia and he was taken to a nearby prison.
Mr Puigdemont had travelled to the Mediterranean island for a Catalan folklore festival, his lawyer said. Spain accuses him of sedition but his lawyers say the European arrest warrant is no longer valid.
A judge in Sardinia will have to decide whether he should be released or extradited. He travelled to the Italian island on Thursday for a Catalan folklore festival, his lawyer said, and was held overnight in Sassari prison, a short distance from the airport.
The 2017 referendum prompted Spain's deepest political crisis for decades, with the Catalan regional parliament declaring independence, and Madrid then imposing direct rule over the region. He is due to appear in court in Sardinia, where a local judge will have to decide whether he should be freed or extradited. Hundreds of protesters rallied outside the Italian consulate in Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, on Friday morning demanding his release.
CRISIS IN CATALONIA: A brief guide to Spain's regional crisis Pardon for Catalan colleagues
The 2017 breakaway referendum prompted Spain's deepest political crisis for decades, with the Catalan regional parliament declaring independence, and Madrid then imposing direct rule over the region.
After Mr Puigdemont and two ministerial colleagues fled, Spain jailed nine other Catalan leaders for sedition for their role in the breakaway vote. They were pardoned by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in June.After Mr Puigdemont and two ministerial colleagues fled, Spain jailed nine other Catalan leaders for sedition for their role in the breakaway vote. They were pardoned by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in June.
Madrid failed in its court bid to extradite Mr Puigdemont and two ministerial colleagues and they were later elected to the European Parliament in 2019. The former Catalan president now lives in Belgium as a member of the European Parliament and his lawyers have successfully fought off a Spanish extradition bid in the past.
As MEP the Catalan ex-leader initially had immunity from prosecution but the Parliament voted to strip him of that last March. He appealed against the decision but in an initial ruling at the end of July the EU's general court said there was no immediate risk of arrest. CRISIS IN CATALONIA: A brief guide to Spain's regional crisis
There are at least two questions facing the Italian judiciary: the validity of the Spanish extradition request, and the powers of Italian judges when the case is yet to receive a ruling by the EU's top court. When he became an MEP in 2019, the Catalan ex-leader initially had immunity from prosecution but the Parliament voted to strip him of that last March. He appealed against the decision but in an initial ruling at the end of July the EU's general court said there was no immediate risk of arrest.
There are at least two questions facing the Italian judiciary: the validity of the Spanish extradition request, and the powers of Italian judges when the case is yet to receive a ruling by the EU's general court.
Spanish authorities say the European arrest warrant was "never deactivated". And Mr Puigdemont's lawyers say that no court within the EU can execute a European arrest warrant until a final ruling has been made.Spanish authorities say the European arrest warrant was "never deactivated". And Mr Puigdemont's lawyers say that no court within the EU can execute a European arrest warrant until a final ruling has been made.
Catalonia's new president Pere Aragones - also a separatist - condemned what he called the "persecution" of Mr Puigdemont. Headache for Spain
This arrest is awkward for Spain's leftist coalition government.
Although the administration of Socialist Pedro Sánchez insisted that the Italian authorities' actions should be respected and that "nobody can avoid justice", this comes at a sensitive time.
Earlier this month, Mr Sánchez resumed negotiations with the pro-independence Catalan government aimed at finding a solution to the longstanding territorial crisis.
Catalonia's ex-president on life 'on the run'Catalonia's ex-president on life 'on the run'
Mr Puigdemont's arrest is uncomfortable for the Spanish government, says the BBC's Guy Hedgecoe in Madrid. The left-wing coalition in Madrid had just started engaging in talks with the Catalan government in an attempt to calm tensions and find a long-term solution to the crisis. Although both sides in the talks are still extremely far apart, the Spanish government hopes that the process will eventually lead to a lasting solution in the north-eastern region. The government has already pardoned nine jailed independence leaders.
Mr Puigdemont embodies a relatively uncompromising strain of Catalan separatism, and his detention fuels claims by pro-independence Catalans that their leaders, and ideology, are being persecuted. It all inhibits the Spanish leader's attempts to calm tensions surrounding the Catalan issue.
Catalonia's new president Pere Aragones - also a separatist - condemned the "persecution" of Mr Puigdemont.
The Spanish government said in a statement: "The arrest of Mr Puigdemont corresponds to an ongoing judicial procedure that applies to any EU citizen who has to answer to the courts."The Spanish government said in a statement: "The arrest of Mr Puigdemont corresponds to an ongoing judicial procedure that applies to any EU citizen who has to answer to the courts."
He should "submit to the action of justice like any other citizen", it added.He should "submit to the action of justice like any other citizen", it added.
Catalonia is one of Spain's richest, most distinctive regions and has enjoyed a high degree of autonomy. But many Catalans feel they pay more to Madrid than they get back, and there are historical grievances too, in particular Catalonia's treatment under the dictatorship of General Franco. Catalonia is one of Spain's richest regions and already has a high degree of autonomy. But many Catalans feel they pay more to Madrid than they get back, and there are historical grievances too, in particular Catalonia's treatment under the dictatorship of General Franco.