A Belgian judge has granted conditional release to sacked Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont and four of his ministers, and the group is scheduled to appear at court within 15 days, Belgian prosecutors said on November 6. A Belgian judge released the Catalonian leaders but forbade them from leaving the country, according to media reports.
“The next step in the proceedings is the appearance of the five defendants before the Chambre du Conseil within the next 15 days,” prosecutors said in a statement.
The court ordered them to provide an address in Belgium where they would be residing. It also asked them to personally attend each of the hearings.
Puigdemont and the others testified separately before the Belgian authorities between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. on November 5. They then left together in a minibus. They made no statements upon leaving the office.
Some 15 people displaying the Catalonian flag shouted words of encouragement to Puigdemont and his colleagues, saying "courage" and "you're not alone" as they departed.
The Belgian Attorney General's Office is expected to issue a statement specifying the details of the Catalonians' legal situation.
Puigdemont and his four former ministers fled to Belgium last week after being removed from power by the Spanish authorities in an attempt to end the autonomous northeastern Spanish region's secession attempt.
