BRUSSELS - Two Catalan leaders sought by
Spain for their involvement in a failed independence bid have
been formally arrested in Belgium but then released pending an
extradition hearing, Belgian federal prosecutors said in a
statement on Friday.
Spain has reactivated European warrants for Lluis Puig and
Toni Comin since nine other separatist leaders were given long
prison sentences in Madrid last month for their role in an
illegal referendum and declaration of independence for Catalonia
in 2017.
Former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, also the subject of
an arrest warrant, is already due to appear before a Belgian
court on December 16.
Spain has also revived a European arrest warrant for
academic Clara Ponsati, who lives in Scotland.
Puig and Comin were notified of their arrest warrant when
they presented themselves to Belgian police on Thursday, then
released on condition that they do not leave Belgium.
They are contesting their extradition and a court will hold
a hearing on the matter on November 15, prosecutors said.