Catalan President Carles Puigdemont Detained In Germany After Avoiding Arrest In Finland

Ex-Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont. Photo: Reuters

BBC: Carles Puigdemont: Former Catalan president 'detained'

The former leader of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont, has been detained in Germany, his lawyer says.

He was held after crossing the border from Denmark, on the way to Belgium, Jaume Alonso-Cuevillas tweeted. He is wanted in Spain for sedition.

Mr Puigdemont had been living in self-imposed exile in Belgium since last October's banned referendum that backed Catalonia's unilateral secession bid.

A European arrest warrant was recently reactivated against him.

Tensions in Catalonia are very high and its separatist leaders have abandoned plans to name a new president following the arrest of the latest candidate.

Jordi Turull was detained on Friday along with five other leaders, sparking protests and clashes with police in Barcelona.

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Update #1: Former Catalan leader Puigdemont detained in Germany: lawyer (Reuters)
Update #2: Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont held by German police (The Guardian)

WNU Editor: Arresting leaders is not how you defuse an independence movement. But it looks like the central goverment in Madrid is playing by a different rulebook.

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