Leaders of Spain, Belgium meet amid Catalonia crisis

The court hearing for the five is the latest step in their flight from Spain to Brussels and refusal to return to face a rebellion investigation amid a push for Catalan independence.

The Belgian government has steadfastly said it can't intervene in Spain's extradition request since it's up to the independent judiciary to make a decision. Friday's court decision can still be appealed.

"It is a judicial case based on the separation of powers. It is up to the judicial authorities," Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said after meeting with his Spanish counterpart Mariano Rajoy on the sidelines of the European Union summit in Goteborg, Sweden.

Michel's spokesman, Barend Leyts, said the talks were "constructive" and didn't center on the Catalan issue itself. Instead the two leaders discussed Belgium's candidacy for an EU top police chief and the upcoming relocation of EU agencies from Britain, among other issues.

But the extradition issue continued to create unease.

Spain supplied the Belgian prosecutor with information detailing the jail conditions for Puigdemont and the four others should they be extradited.