Germany releases ex-Catalan leader Puigdemont

Source: Xinhua    2018-04-06 22:45:44

BERLIN, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont was released in Germany on Friday after posting 75,000 euros bail.

The 55-year-old separatist leader was set free from the prison Neumunster in Germany's northern state of Schleswig-Holstein.

Facing the waiting media, he thanked the prison personnel for their "help and solidarity" in German, then in English demanded Spanish authorities to "immediately release" his separatist colleagues and hold a talk on Catalonia's future.

"There are no excuse to avoid a political dialogue with the Catalan political leaders in order to find a solution of our demands, not by using criminal law." Puigdemont said.

Puigdemont was caught on the entry of Germany from Denmark on March 25 en route to his residence in Belgium.

He has been a fugitive since Catalonia's failed bid to become independent from Spain last October. The Spanish Supreme Court earlier in March issued fresh arrest warrants against Puigdemont and some other individuals behind the independence bid.

However, the German court in Schleswig on Thursday ruled that they will not extradite him on the basis of his rebellion charge, while pending the decision to extradite him on his embezzlement charge.

According to Deutsche Presse Agentur(DPA), Puigdemont can now move freely on German soil, but he must report to police once a week and inform prosecutors of any change in residence.

Editor: Mu Xuequan
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Germany releases ex-Catalan leader Puigdemont

Source: Xinhua 2018-04-06 22:45:44

BERLIN, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont was released in Germany on Friday after posting 75,000 euros bail.

The 55-year-old separatist leader was set free from the prison Neumunster in Germany's northern state of Schleswig-Holstein.

Facing the waiting media, he thanked the prison personnel for their "help and solidarity" in German, then in English demanded Spanish authorities to "immediately release" his separatist colleagues and hold a talk on Catalonia's future.

"There are no excuse to avoid a political dialogue with the Catalan political leaders in order to find a solution of our demands, not by using criminal law." Puigdemont said.

Puigdemont was caught on the entry of Germany from Denmark on March 25 en route to his residence in Belgium.

He has been a fugitive since Catalonia's failed bid to become independent from Spain last October. The Spanish Supreme Court earlier in March issued fresh arrest warrants against Puigdemont and some other individuals behind the independence bid.

However, the German court in Schleswig on Thursday ruled that they will not extradite him on the basis of his rebellion charge, while pending the decision to extradite him on his embezzlement charge.

According to Deutsche Presse Agentur(DPA), Puigdemont can now move freely on German soil, but he must report to police once a week and inform prosecutors of any change in residence.

[Editor: huaxia]
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