Catalan Referendum: Judge Issues European Arrest Warrant for Puigdemont

Local Editor

A Spanish judge issued a European arrest warrant for ousted Catalan President Carles Puigdemont. The leader's request to testify by videoconference has been rejected.

Puigdemont is currently in Belgium, where he went after Madrid sacked his government. International arrest warrants have also been issued for four of his associates.

Together with Puigdemont they face charges of rebellion, sedition, misuse of public funds and breach of trust.

On Thursday, ex-Catalan Vice President Oriol Junqueras and seven other former regional ministers were jailed without the opportunity to post bail.

Belgium's prosecutors have already received the arrest warrant for Puigdemont and will "study it," before passing it to a judge.

"We will study it and we will give it to an investigative judge, maybe tomorrow or the day after tomorrow," federal prosecutor Van der Sypt told Reuters.

Earlier Friday, Puigdemont told Belgium's RTBF broadcaster that his prompt departure for Brussels was not actually "fleeing" Catalonia, as he was ready to participate in the snap elections Madrid scheduled following the crackdown on his regional government.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team