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Ex-Catalan Leader Puigdemont Leaves German Prison After Paying Bail (VIDEO)

© AP Photo / Virginia MayoOusted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, center, stands with elected Catalan lawmakers of his Together for Catalonia party at a park in Brussels
Ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, center, stands with elected Catalan lawmakers of his Together for Catalonia party at a park in Brussels - Sputnik International
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont has paid his bail and is now free to leave German prison, media reported on Friday.

Puigdemont has left the German prison on bail. According to La Vanguardia newspaper, Puigdemont paid his bail shortly before midday local time [10:00 GMT].

On Thursday, High Regional Court of Schleswig-Holstein ruled to free Puigdemont if he paid a bail of 75,000 euros ($91,700).

Carles Puigdemont, on Friday called on the Spanish authorities to free jailed Catalan politicians after his own release on bail from a prison in Germany.

"I [call] for the immediate release of all of my colleagues still in the Spanish prisons. It’s a shame for Europe to have political prisoners," Puigdemont said after his release, which was aired by RT Ruptly broadcaster.

READ MORE: Over 600 Prominent Catalans Urge Parl't to Reappoint Puigdemont as Region Leader

Madrid has requested to extradite the former Catalan leader, however, the German state court said that corruption charges could lead to his extradition. The German judge has rejected the Spanish accusations of rebellion, as in Germany the treason charge implies the use of violence. The court added that it also finds no reason to believe that ex-Catalan leader risks persecution in Spain.

El retrato del expresidente catalán Carles Puigdemont con la petición de libertad para los presos políticos - Sputnik International
Berlin Reportedly Has No Plans to Impede Puigdemont's Extradition to Spain
Carles Puigdemont was detained in Germany on a European arrest warrant issued by Spain on March 25, when he crossed the border with Denmark on his way from Finland to Belgium, where he currently resides. The ex-president is facing up to 30 years in prison for rebellion and misappropriation of state funds.

The Spanish authorities accuse Puigdemont of embezzling more than 1.5 million euros by proclaiming an illegal referendum on independence in Catalonia. The attempt to separate Catalonia from Spain is considered by the Spanish authorities as a rebellion.

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