Former Catalan leader leaves German prison after paying bail

Catalonia’s former leader Carles Puigdemont talks to the media as he leaves the prison in Neumuenster, Germany

Catalonia’s former leader Carles Puigdemont walked out of a German prison on Friday after a court in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein agreed to release him on bail, Reuters Television showed.

The court on Thursday rejected an extradition request on the charge of rebellion for Puigdemont’s role in the campaign for Catalonia’s independence, but said extradition to Spain was possible on a lesser charge of misuse of public funds.

The former Catalan leader, who wore a dark suit on leaving the prison in the German town of Neumuenster, was arrested last month on a Spanish-issued arrest warrant as he entered Germany.