Why now? He was eligible for parole on the drug-peddling charge last week, and there have apparently been legal complications over the rape charge: his EAW that got him extradited from Italy only related to the drugs charge.
"... He is currently serving an unrelated sentence for drug trafficking in the northern German city of Kiel.
German court documents show that he has served two-thirds of that sentence and can be considered for parole from Sunday onwards.
But even if a judge decides to release him on probation for the drugs offence, he will remain in custody over the rape case.
Brueckner appealed over that conviction to Germany’s Federal Court of Justice, which referred it to the European Court of Justice.
He claims his extradition to Germany under a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) was unlawful because it related to the drug charge rather than the rape.
Brueckner had fled to Italy and was found in Milan in September 2018.
Under the principle of “specialty”, extradited people can normally only be prosecuted for the crime for which the EAW was granted."
(This link isn't the original I'd read, but appears to have copied the same info.)
https://corporatedispatch.com/new-suspect-in-madeleine-mccann-case-also-investigated-over-missing-german-girl/"...The man, named by German media as Christian Brueckner, is believed to be a rapist who was jailed in December for raping a 72-year-old American woman in Portugal.
The attack happened in Praia da Luz in September 2005, a year-and-a-half before Madeleine went missing nearby.
He denied the crime and has launched a legal challenge against his conviction that will be considered by the European Court of Justice.
It received the case on 8 May and The Independent understands that as it was filed under the “urgent preliminary ruling procedure”, a decision will be made between three and six months from that date.
The Braunschweiger Zeitung reported that the man’s defence lawyer called for him to be acquitted during the trial and appealed to Germany’s Federal Court of Justice.
The man is challenging the evidence and witness testimony against him and accuses the German authorities of violating international law and making legal errors during his extradition.
He was transferred to Germany under a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) relating to a different criminal offence.
Under the principle of “specialty”, extradited people can normally only be prosecuted for the crime for which the EAW was granted.
The rule does not apply in all circumstances and the requesting country can ask the extraditing judicial authority for consent to change or add offences.
The Federal Court of Justice referred the issue to the European Court of Justice in April.
If judges find that German authorities made a legal error, the man’s conviction could be overturned and the case will have to restart.
German suspect identified in Madeleine McCann disappearance
German officials said the man being investigated over Madeleine’s disappearance had a criminal history including sexual offences and child sexual abuse and was serving a prison sentence, but did not give further details.
He is believed to be the same man convicted in December of raping the American woman in Portugal in 2005."
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/madeleine-mccann-german-suspect-rape-conviction-appeal-christian-brueckner-a9548886.html
