Spain lifts national arrest measures against Puigdemont and two former ministers

Supreme Court investigating judge Pablo Llarena has set aside the national search and arrest measures against Puigdemont and former Catalan ministers Antoni Comín and Lluís Puig. The change took effect immediately on 6 October and will remain in place until a further express judicial ruling, according to reports describing the order. Police have been instructed not to detain the three on the basis of those measures. [5] [6]

The decision follows reports that Spain’s Constitutional Court upheld an appeal by former Catalan minister Dolors Bassa concerning the refusal to apply the 2024 amnesty law to her misappropriation offence. Llarena considered that ruling potentially relevant to the other three cases, but is awaiting the full judgment before deciding whether to maintain or change the temporary measure. [5] [6]

Setting aside the arrest measures does not itself grant Puigdemont, Comín or Puig amnesty or end their criminal liability. An earlier Constitutional Court record shows that Llarena had refused to apply the amnesty law to Puigdemont’s alleged misappropriation in July 2024 and maintained the national detention order at that time. [5] [1]