Ousted Catalan president Carles Puigdemont says he is being treated “like a paedophile” after fleeing to Belgium to escape criminal charges in Spain.

The separatist leader is currently in Brussels after the Spanish government removed his Catalan government from power. Mr Puigdemont and his allies were pushing ahead with plans to declare the region independent from Spain after receiving public backing in a heavily disputed referendum.

He and four of his ministers are subjects of a European arrest warrant on charges including rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds, which they are appealing in the Belgian courts.

Speaking from Brussels, he told Sky News: “To be treated like a criminal, like a drug trafficker, a paedophile, like a serial killer, I think this is abuse … this isn’t politics, this is using the courts to do politics.”

He added: “It’s a threat because the crime I am accused of could result in 30 years in prison. It’s madness. It’s not justice, it’s vengeance.

“I am not a rebel. I don’t have the spirit of a rebel nor the wish to be one. I consider myself to be very disciplined. I just want to carry out what my parliament has approved.

“This is very normal, there is nothing rebellious about that. It’s very uncomfortable for me to have this role of a ‘rebel’ and I don’t want to play it.”

Mr Puigdemont handed himself in to Belgian authorities shortly after arriving in Brussels late last month. He said he is not running away from justice but instead seeking a fair trial – something he does not believe he will be given in Madrid.

Catalan parliament votes on independence: in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Catalan parliament votes on independence: in pictures Catalan parliament votes on independence: in pictures Catalan parliament votes for independence Catalan independence supporters react to the news that the Catalan Parliament voted to declare independence Getty Images Catalan parliament votes on independence: in pictures Catalan parliament votes for independence Catalan separatists react as the Catalan Parliament votes the independence of Catalonia Rex Catalan parliament votes on independence: in pictures Catalan parliament votes for independence People react as they celebrate the unilateral declaration of independence of Catalonia AP Catalan parliament votes on independence: in pictures Catalan parliament votes for independence Catalan government members, pro independence deputies, and Mayors from pro indpendence towns sing the Catalan anthem REUTERS Catalan parliament votes on independence: in pictures Catalan parliament votes for independence People celebrate after the approval of the declaration of a uniteral independence EPA Catalan parliament votes on independence: in pictures Catalan parliament votes for independence Catalan pro-independence mayors raise their batons as they gather in the parliament AFP/Getty Images Catalan parliament votes on independence: in pictures Catalan parliament votes for independence Catala president Carles Puigdemont sings the Catalan anthem AFP/Getty Images Catalan parliament votes on independence: in pictures Catalan parliament votes for independence Protesters shouts slogans during a rally outside the Catalan Parliament AP Catalan parliament votes on independence: in pictures Catalan parliament votes for independence People react as they watch on giant screens a plenary session outside the Catalan regional parliament REUTERS Catalan parliament votes on independence: in pictures Catalan parliament votes for independence An aerial view shows thousands of people gathering near the Catalan regional Parliament EPA Catalan parliament votes on independence: in pictures Catalan parliament votes for independence Protesters during a rally outside the Catalan Parliament AP Catalan parliament votes on independence: in pictures Catalan parliament votes for independence People react as they watch on giant screens REUTERS Catalan parliament votes on independence: in pictures Catalan parliament votes for independence Leftist party CUP leader Anna Gabriel casts her ballot REUTERS Catalan parliament votes on independence: in pictures Catalan parliament votes for independence A protester reacts AP Catalan parliament votes on independence: in pictures Catalan parliament votes for independence Popular Party leader Xavier Garcia Albiol gestures REUTERS

The former president was forced from power when the Spanish government used its constitutional right to remove the Catalan government and disband its parliament, saying both the referendum and the subsequent declaration of independence were illegal.

Commenting on his fall from power, Mr Puigdemont said: “The Spanish state has damaged democracy in order to stop independence because through democracy, which is the only thing we believe it, the reality is undeniable. So we need to recover that democracy that has been damaged by the Spanish state.”

He also criticised the European Union for not supporting the Catalan separatists, saying: “It is very disappointing to see that in a Europe Union that we are all a part of, they can respond to situations in Poland and Hungary but cannot respond to the situation in Catalonia.”

The Spanish government has called fresh elections in Catalonia set for 21 December in the hope that anti-independence parties will win a majority.