German court refuses to extradite Catalan ex-regional president Puigdemont on rebellion charges

A German court ruled Thursday that former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont can be released on bail pending a decision on his extradition to Spain, saying the most serious charge Puigdemont faces isn't punishable under German law.

The state court in Schleswig said the 55-year-old ex-president of Spain's Catalonia region could leave a prison in northern Germany with a 75,000-euro ($92,000) payment. It wasn't immediately clear when Puigdemont would be released.

Puigdemont was detained in Germany on a Spanish arrest warrant as he attempted to drive from Finland to Belgium on March 25. He fled to Belgium after Spain's prime minister removed him from office and a sedition investigation was launched against politicians who led Catalonia's declaration of independence in October.