Former Catalan President arrested in Germany

Former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont has been arrested in Germany during an attempt to cross the border to Denmark on Sunday.

German police have detained the fugitive on a European Arrest warrant, after having lived in exile since Catalonia’s parliament declared independence last October.

Puigdemont is wanted in Spain for sedition and rebellion for organising an illegal referendum – charges which carry up to 25 years imprisonment.

His lawyer, James Alonso-Cuevillas, confirmed the arrest on Twitter. “President Carles Puigdemont was held in Germany when he crossed the border from Denmark, on his way to Belgium from Finland,” he said, adding that Puigdemont was treated well so far.

The international arrest warrant against him was activated on Friday – when Puigdemont was on a visit to finland – by a Spanish Supreme Court judge.

The former president had managed to make a swift escape from Finland despite the arrest warrant against him.

Puigdemont was in Finland to talk with lawmakers, but his lawyer tweeted that he had made it out of the country and into Belgium. 

“I confirm that President Puigdemont is no longer in Finland,” his lawyer Jaume Alonso Cuevillas tweeted on Saturday.

Tensions are running high in Catalonia with one of the candidates named to be next Catalan President arrested while also various political leaders detained.

13 other separatist politicians were charged with similar offences in Spain last week.