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Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont, whose arrest and extradition has been requested by Spain, arrived in Sardinia on Sunday before appearing in court on Monday to see if he would be freed, his lawyer Gonzalo Boye told AFP.
The ex-Catalan president landed in the morning at Alghero airport in the northwest of the large Italian island, where he was briefly arrested on 23 September under an arrest warrant European issued by Madrid. “She’s with Tony Comin and Clara PonsaticTwo other MEPs who are also the subject of European arrest warrants, said the lawyer. Monday’s hearing was set by the Sassari Court of Appeals for 24 September, the day Carles Puigdemont was arrested upon arrival at Alghero, where he was arrested. Had to participate in a cultural festival.
Released on 24 September, having been charged by Spain with treason and embezzlement, he returned to Brussels, where he lives, but had to appear before a court of appeal in Sassari, a town located about thirty kilometers from Alghero. Decided to return to Sardinia.
Whether or not this court of appeal would have to confirm the decision to release him. “During the hearing, it will be necessary to decide whether a European arrest warrant can be enforced.“, his Italian lawyer, AgostÃn Angelo Marras, told AFP this week. The case will be investigated by three judges of the Court of Appeal, whose decision can be appealed to the Court of Cassation, the lawyer explained.
Carles Puigdemont, MEP since 2019, asked European Justice on Friday to restore his immunity as an MEP after opposing Spain’s extradition request. The European Parliament actually denied him his immunity on 9 March by an overwhelming majority. The measure was confirmed by the General Court of the European Union on 30 July. However, the decision of the European Parliament is subject to appeal and a final decision on merit has not yet been rendered by EU justice.