German police detain former Catalan president

By Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO (AA) - Former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont was detained in Germany on Sunday morning after he crossed into the country from Denmark, a Catalan government spokesperson told Anadolu Agency.

Puigdemont had been wanted in Spain since leading a parliamentary session in October last year that saw separatist lawmakers vote for the region of Catalonia to declare independence from Spain. He and 12 other separatist leaders face charges of rebellion.

After the vote, Puigdemont fled Spain and took up residence in Belgium. When he arrived, Spanish courts had activated a European arrest warrant, but it was later deactivated. On Friday, another international arrest warrant was issued, and on Saturday Puigdemont’s lawyer confirmed that the separatist leader had successfully left Finland, where he had been holding meetings.

On Sunday, Puigdemont was detained by German police while crossing the border into Germany from Denmark. He was on his way to Belgium from Finland.

“At the moment he is in a police station, and his legal defense is activated,” Catalan government spokesperson Joan Maria Pique told Anadolu Agency.

In Catalonia, tensions remain high, as the region's attempts to form a government are continually frustrated. Pro-Catalan independence parties won a majority of seats in recent elections but the main separatist leaders and candidates for the presidency are either in prison or self-imposed exile abroad.