The Italian court of Sassari in Sardinia on Friday released former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont after he was detained Thursday on a European arrest warrant.
The Catalan separatist will have to return to the Italian island for a hearing on October 4, but will be able to leave in the meantime.
Puigdemont, under self-imposed exile in Belgium, was arrested by the Italian border police at Sardinia's Alghero airport Thursday evening.
While the Spanish government said Puigdemont should face justice in Spain, Italy's ministry of justice said it had no power to decide on neither the arrest nor the extradition of the former leader as he is under a European arrest warrant.
Hundreds of supporters of the separatist movement waving independence flags gathered in front of the Italian consulate in Barcelona to demand his release.
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Exiled Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont arrested in Sardinia: Lawyer
Suspensión de inmunidad a Puigdemont permite reactivar recursos de la justicia española
Puigdemont: EU parliament lifts ex-Catalan leader's immunity - BBC News
German court authorises extradition of Carles Puigdemont
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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday called on Carles Puigdemont to “submit to justice” as the regional former president of Catalonia, who fled Spain after leading a botched independence attempt, was arrested in the Italian island of Sardinia.
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He said the Spanish government will respect the decision of the Italian court on Puigdemont.
The premier urged that the dialogue they established with the Catalonian autonomous government should continue to find a political solution to the independence bid in Catalonia.