Catalan Separatist Leader Puigdemont Arrested In Italy

Former Catalan President, Carles Puigdemont has been arrested in Italy, four years after fleeing Spain.

Gatekeepers News reports that Puigdemont had fled Spain after an independence referendum that Madrid ruled unconstitutional. The Catalan leader who has been based in Belgium since the 2017 referendum was detained in Alghero, Sardinia.

His chief of staff, Josep Lluis Alay on Thursday confirmed the arrest of the European Parliament member (MEP) who is expected to appear in court on Friday at a hearing that could see him extradited to Spain to face sedition charges.

“At his arrival at Alghero airport, he was arrested by Italian police. Tomorrow [Friday], he’ll appear before the judges of the court of appeal of Sassari, who will decide whether to let him go or extradite him,” Alay said.

Also, Puigdemont’s lawyer, Gonzalo Boye, wrote on social media that the exiled separatist leader was arrested on his arrival in Italy, where he was travelling in his capacity as an MEP.

He said the arrest was made on the basis of a warrant issued in October 2019 that had since been suspended.

Puigdemont, 58, is wanted in Spain on allegations of sedition over his attempts to have the Catalan region break away from Madrid through the 2017 referendum.

His arrest comes a week after the left-leaning Spanish government and regional Catalan authorities resumed negotiations to find a solution to Spain’s worst political crisis in decades.