Belgian court postpones decision on Puigdemont extradition

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A Belgium court on Friday postponed a hearing on the extradition of former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont and four of his allies.

The Catalonia crisis saw more drama but a little resolution on Friday. The ousted Catalan President and his four colleagues slipped into a Brussels courtroom and left the same way, avoiding the media personnel waiting outside.

The afternoon hearing to examine the five European Arrest warrants issued by Spain on November 3 against them was over in about an hour.

A judge has deferred the decision on their extradition to Spain, to December 4 to allow all parties to clarify their position.

Media wait outside the court. /CGTN Photo

Puigdemont and his allies fled to the EU capital at the end of October after Spain's attorney general filed rebellion, sedition and embezzlement charges against them, following the Catalan government's declaration of independence from Spain.

All EU member states are obliged to uphold the automatic execution of a European arrest warrant. There has, however, been much discussion over whether Belgium would comply.

There could be two grounds for refusal. Denial based on severe risk of infringement of human rights and secondly if double criminality cannot be proved. It is for the assigned judge to examine if the charges listed in the warrant issued by Spain, satisfy Belgian penal law.

The judge said that according to Belgian law, there are no corruption charges against Puigdemont and his allies but a "conspiracy of civil servants," and added that there could be no extradition by a refusal to commit to their jobs fully.

Whether this has gifted the Catalan five a lifeline remains to be seen. But even if a judge orders their extradition to Spain, appeals would follow. It would be a long legal process and one that would allow Puigdemont to campaign and contest regional Catalan regional elections in December.

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