A lawyer for jailed Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont says a judge in Sardinia will order him released from jail ahead of a court decision on Spain’s extradition request.
Agostinoangelo Marras told reporters outside the courthouse in Sassari, Sardinia, that when the judge asked Puigdemont if he wanted to be returned to Spain, his client replied “no”.
Mr Marras said a three-judge panel will take up the extradition request and decide “in a very short time”.
Meanwhile, according to the judge’s decision, Puigdemont must remain in Sardinia pending the outcome of the extradition request.
Puigdemont was taken into custody on Thursday night when he arrived at an airport in Alghero, Sardinia.
He had been invited to attend a Catalan cultural event as well as a meeting a few days later of Sardinian independence sympathisers on the Mediterranean island.
Italy to release detained Catalan leader wanted by Spain
