Puigdemont will not testify before Spanish Supreme Court, according to his Belgian lawyer

Carles Puigdemont, the dismissed Catalan president, will not appear before the Supreme Court on Thursday, his Belgian lawyer Peter Bekaert confirmed on Dutch television channel NOS.

"We want to wait for the reaction of the Spanish government and see what happens," said Bekaert, who believes that there is a high chance that Puigdemont could be arrested.

Spain's prosecutor is accusing Puigdemont, as well as dismissed ministers of the Catalan government and parliament, of crimes of rebellion, sedition, and misuse of public funds.

The lawyer also stated that he would defend his client against any extradition request from the Spanish government.

"I have experience in other cases, such as the Basques. There are cases in which there have been interrogations, here with the local police. There is no law that says that you can be deprived of freedom for not going to testify," said the lawyer.

Later in the day, when speaking with the Associated Press, Bekaert proposed that Puigdemont be questioned from Belgium, stating that there are legal provisions in place that would allow him to do so. There is currently no arrest warrant out against the dismissed president, the lawyer added.

The four remaining dismissed ministers in Brussels with Puigdemont also asked to testify from the Belgian capital. They are aslo due to appear in court on Thursday having received their judicial summons.