EXILED Catalan president Carles Puigdemont was sent back to his German jail cell yesterday, refused bail by a court in the northern town of Neumunster.
The court appearance was a formality, although his supporters had hoped Puigdemont would be released on bail. It will now be up to a higher regional court in the town of Schleswig to decide whether to grant Spain’s extradition request.
But it won’t come soon. “The decision will probably not come before Easter,” a court spokeswoman said.
READ MORE: Scots protest in suppport of exiled Catalan minister Clara Ponsati
Puigdemont was arrested in Hamburg on Sunday after Spanish secret services, working with their Danish counterparts, informed German police that he was about cross the border.
The former president had been driving from Finland back to Belgium, where he has been living in exile since October. Reports yesterday suggested Madrid’s spooks had placed a tracking device on his car.
Last week a Spanish supreme court judge re-issued European arrest warrants for Puigdemont and five other pro-independence leaders. They included Clara Posanti in Scotland, and others in Belgium and Switzerland.
They are accused of undermining the Spanish constitution after declaring independence following last October’s referendum, held without the consent of Madrid.
On Sunday, after news of Puigdemont’s arrest reached supporters, there were clashes between riot police and protesters in cities throughout Catalonia.
Around 100 people were injured, including 23 police officers. Nine people were arrested.
A radical pro-indy group, Awaken Republic, had called on its 7000 members to be ready to “get out on the streets immediately without warning”. But in a telephone call from prison to his wife, Marcela Topor, Puigdemont called for calm. “Violence is not the way,” he said.
Despite being in jail, Puigdemont is still likely be a candidate for the office of president.
In an TV interview, JxCat’s Elsa Artadi said her party was not only working to find a way for Puigdemont to retake office, but that it should “not be symbolic but real”.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel