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| Ex-Catalan minister to hand herself in to Scottish police | Ex-Catalan minister to hand herself in to Scottish police |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A Catalan senior academic at the University of St Andrews who faces extradition to Spain for alleged sedition is expected to hand herself in to Scottish police. | |
| Prof Clara Ponsatí, an economist, was named in a European arrest warrant issued by Spain’s supreme court on Friday after she took part in the controversial Catalan independence referendum last year. | |
| Ponsatí served as an education minister last year under Carles Puigdemont, the Catalan leader who was arrested in Germany on Sunday on similar charges of sedition and rebellion and is due in court on Monday. | Ponsatí served as an education minister last year under Carles Puigdemont, the Catalan leader who was arrested in Germany on Sunday on similar charges of sedition and rebellion and is due in court on Monday. |
| Her lawyer, Aamer Anwar, said Ponsatí would resist the application, as there were serious doubts she would receive a fair trial and Scottish courts do not recognise the offence of sedition she is accused of. | |
| “I am instructed to oppose the extradition on the basis that this is a political prosecution of Clara and a systematic attempt to criminalise the desire for independence by more than 2 million voters in Catalonia,” he said. | “I am instructed to oppose the extradition on the basis that this is a political prosecution of Clara and a systematic attempt to criminalise the desire for independence by more than 2 million voters in Catalonia,” he said. |
| Speaking to the BBC several weeks ago, Ponsatí said: “It will be interesting to see how they argue such a request, because the alleged crimes of sedition and rebellion do not exist either in Scotland or in England and Wales. | Speaking to the BBC several weeks ago, Ponsatí said: “It will be interesting to see how they argue such a request, because the alleged crimes of sedition and rebellion do not exist either in Scotland or in England and Wales. |
| “But if they do, then I would face justice and see what judges have to say here. I trust they will not be accepted but one never knows.” | “But if they do, then I would face justice and see what judges have to say here. I trust they will not be accepted but one never knows.” |
| Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, distanced her government from the case on Sunday, insisting she could have no role in this legal process, despite calls from nationalist activists for her to intervene. | Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, distanced her government from the case on Sunday, insisting she could have no role in this legal process, despite calls from nationalist activists for her to intervene. |
| She tweeted: “I know that many will wish that @scotgov was able to do or say more – I understand that. But I hope there can also be an understanding of the position as outlined and the importance of protecting due process and the independence of our legal system.” | She tweeted: “I know that many will wish that @scotgov was able to do or say more – I understand that. But I hope there can also be an understanding of the position as outlined and the importance of protecting due process and the independence of our legal system.” |
| Arrangements are now being made for Ponsatí to voluntarily attend a police station in Edinburgh on Wednesday morning, where she is likely to be detained before a preliminary hearing at Edinburgh sheriff court. | Arrangements are now being made for Ponsatí to voluntarily attend a police station in Edinburgh on Wednesday morning, where she is likely to be detained before a preliminary hearing at Edinburgh sheriff court. |
| The full extradition case is due to take place some weeks later, and Anwar is expected to apply for bail. “We will submit there are no guarantees of due process in Spain, of a right to a fair trial in a country where most members of the Catalan government are already in prison or in exile,” he said. | The full extradition case is due to take place some weeks later, and Anwar is expected to apply for bail. “We will submit there are no guarantees of due process in Spain, of a right to a fair trial in a country where most members of the Catalan government are already in prison or in exile,” he said. |
| “If returned we submit she will be subjected to degrading and inhumane treatment by the Spanish authorities.” | “If returned we submit she will be subjected to degrading and inhumane treatment by the Spanish authorities.” |
| After joining St Andrews in 2014, Ponsatí served as the head of its school of economics and finance for three years, before taking a secondment last year to join Puigdemont’s cabinet. | |
| The Catalan regional government was disbanded forcibly after the independence referendum by Spain’s federal government, with a number of senior Catalan ministers, including Ponsatí, fleeing to other EU countries. She came back to Scotland earlier this month after staying in Brussels alongside Puigdemont, resuming her post as an economics researcher. | The Catalan regional government was disbanded forcibly after the independence referendum by Spain’s federal government, with a number of senior Catalan ministers, including Ponsatí, fleeing to other EU countries. She came back to Scotland earlier this month after staying in Brussels alongside Puigdemont, resuming her post as an economics researcher. |
| Extradition lawyers say Spain could face a tough task proving the charges it has raised against Ponsatí are valid in a Scottish court, but it is unusual for Scottish judges to reject European arrest warrants, which are central to the EU’s cross-border justice arrangements. | Extradition lawyers say Spain could face a tough task proving the charges it has raised against Ponsatí are valid in a Scottish court, but it is unusual for Scottish judges to reject European arrest warrants, which are central to the EU’s cross-border justice arrangements. |
| Sturgeon said that notwithstanding the legal process, her government remained highly critical of Spain’s decision to refuse a legally approved independence referendum in Catalonia. | Sturgeon said that notwithstanding the legal process, her government remained highly critical of Spain’s decision to refuse a legally approved independence referendum in Catalonia. |
| “It is well established that the Scottish government supports the right of the people of Catalonia to determine their own future and that we strongly oppose the Spanish government’s decision to seek the arrest and imprisonment of independence-supporting politicians,” she said. | “It is well established that the Scottish government supports the right of the people of Catalonia to determine their own future and that we strongly oppose the Spanish government’s decision to seek the arrest and imprisonment of independence-supporting politicians,” she said. |
| “The fact that our justice system is legally obliged to follow due process in the determination of extradition requests does not change those views.” | “The fact that our justice system is legally obliged to follow due process in the determination of extradition requests does not change those views.” |
| Catalonia | Catalonia |
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| University of St Andrews | University of St Andrews |
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| Carles Puigdemont | Carles Puigdemont |
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