Puigdemont released, but ordered to stay in Belgium
Monday, November 6, 2017 @ 11:23 AM
FORMER president of Catalunya Carles Puigdemont and his four ministers who fled to Belgium with him have been released from custody with charges, but are not permitted to leave the northern European country.
Clara Ponsatí, Meritxell Serret, Antoni Comín and Lluís Puig – ex-regional ministers of teaching, agriculture, health and culture respectively – and Puigdemont were reported to have been arrested at exactly 09.17 yesterday (Sunday) morning, but later reports claim they voluntarily attended the police station after agreeing with the Belgian prosecution to do so in light of the international arrest warrant issued by Spanish National Court judge Carmen Lamela.
They all testified separately before a judge in Brussels yesterday between 16.00 and 20.00 in the prosecutor's office and left the building in a minibus without giving any statements to the media.
About 50 reporters had gathered outside the prosecution headquarters in the hope of Puigdemont and his ministers giving a press conference, but were disappointed.
Some 15 individuals were also waiting outside, waving Catalunya regional flags and shouting 'good luck' and 'you're not alone'.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com