Media from around the world have reported Belgian justice's decision to suspend the European Arrest Warrant issued by Spain against exiled Catalan president Carles Puigdemont and minister Toni Comín.
Below, a selection of headlines on the story from leading international media.
The Washington Post
"Belgian judge suspends European Arrest Warrant for Catalonia’s Puigdemont, because of his immunity as an MEP."
Belgian judge suspends European Arrest Warrant for Catalonia’s #Puigdemont, because of his immunity as an MEP https://t.co/JgotyoxSQb
— Pieter Cleppe (@pietercleppe) January 2, 2020
US network ABC
"Belgian judicial authorities have suspended the arrest warrant targeting Puigdemont and Comín."
ABC News - via @ABC https://t.co/nIT2ZjTle5
— Foreign Friends of Catalonia🎗 (@Foreign_Cat) January 2, 2020
Agence France Presse
"The Belgian judge in charge of the process of extradition to Spain of Catalan pro-independence leader Carles Puigdemont has ruled that he enjoys immunity as an MEP and has suspended the procedure, a lawyer has announced."
Le juge belge ayant engagé la procédure de remise à l'Espagne du responsable indépendantiste catalan Carles Puigdemont estime que ce dernier bénéficie d'une immunité en tant qu'eurodéputé et a décidé de suspendre le dossier, a annoncé un avocat de l'ex-président catalan #AFP pic.twitter.com/mTe3Ukoy2x
— Agence France-Presse (@afpfr) January 2, 2020
French daily 'Le Monde'
"A Belgian judge suspends the process of Carles Puigdemont's extradition to Spain."
Un juge belge suspend la procédure de remise à l’Espagne de Carles Puigdemont https://t.co/tVEL9djJ28
— Le Monde (@lemondefr) January 2, 2020
German news agency DPA
"A Belgian judge has suspended the process of extraditing Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont to Spain"
#BREAKING: A Belgian judge has suspended the process of extraditing Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont to Spain, the Belga news agency reports. pic.twitter.com/cV4F4eOKdv
— dpa news agency (@dpa_intl) January 2, 2020
German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle
"Belgium will not extradite Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont to Spain after a judge on Thursday suspended the arrest warrant against him and fellow pro-independence politician Antoni Comín."
The Catalan separatist leader is wanted in Spain on charges of rebellion and sedition.https://t.co/w8ftMggckx
— DW News (@dwnews) January 2, 2020
Munich daily 'Süddeutsche Zeitung'
"Belgium will not extradite Catalan separatists Carles Puigdemont and Toni Comín to Spain"
Belgien liefert die Separatisten @KRLS und @toni_comin offenbar nicht an Spanien aus https://t.co/hP1Uq7mJle
— Süddeutsche Zeitung (@SZ) January 2, 2020
German public radio Deutschlandfunk
"A Belgian investigating judge has suspended the execution of the Spanish extradition request against Catalan politician Puigdemont."
Ein belgischer Untersuchungsrichter hat den Vollzug des spanischen Auslieferungsersuchens gegen den katalanischen Politiker Puigdemont ausgesetzt.https://t.co/juTBqYSjMu
— Die Nachrichten (@DLFNachrichten) January 2, 2020
Hamburg-based weekly 'Die Zeit'
"Belgian court decision: as long as the Catalan independence leader Carles Puigdemont enjoys immunity as a Member of the European Parliament, he cannot be extradited to Spain"
Gerichtsentscheidung in Belgien: Solange der katalanische Separatistenführer Carles #Puigdemont die Immunität als EU-Abgeordneter genießt, kann er nicht nach Spanien ausgeliefert werden. https://t.co/NwWrsa3qbO
— ZEIT ONLINE Politik (@zeitonline_pol) January 2, 2020
Italian agency Ansa
"Belgian justice suspends Puigdemont's extradition"
#Puigdemont, giustizia #Belgio sospende #estradizionehttps://t.co/zWUhaAb6vh#Belgio #Catalogna #Comin #Spagna #ParlamentoUe @Europarl_IT
— ANSA Europa (@ansaeuropa) January 2, 2020
Brussels daily 'La libre Belgique'
"The judge has also lifted the court restriction that prevented Puigdemont and Comin from leaving Belgium"
Un juge belge suspend la procédure de remise à l'Espagne de Carles Puigdemont https://t.co/7BMM5fDAHp pic.twitter.com/Ssx9JwkOlv
— lalibre.be (@lalibrebe) January 2, 2020
Qatar broadcaster 'Al Jazeera'
"Belgian judge suspends extradition of Carles Puigdemont and Toni Comín, citing their immunity as members of the European Parliament."
Belgian judge suspends extradition of Catalonia's Carles Puigdemont https://t.co/wDTckz7rVX pic.twitter.com/PK94KEVZ0z
— Al Jazeera News (@AJENews) January 2, 2020