This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/26/clara-ponsati-ex-catalan-minister-to-hand-herself-into-scottish-police

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Ex-Catalan minister to hand herself in to Scottish police St Andrews hits out at Spanish bid to extradite Catalan academic
(about 2 hours 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. St Andrews University has described an attempt by Spanish judges to extradite a Catalan academic as a politically motivated attack on free speech.
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. Prof Sally Mapstone, the principal of St Andrews, said the university was deeply concerned by the extradition application issued on Friday against Clara Ponsatí, an economist at the university.
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. A former head of St Andrews school of economics, Ponsatí was education minister in Carlos Puigdemont’s Catalan government when it organised an illegal independence referendum last year.
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. She is one of five former ministers named in European arrest warrants issued by Spain’s supreme court on Friday. Puigdemont was arrested by German police on Sunday under one warrant, prompting protests across Catalonia.
After returning to St Andrews this month to resume her post as an economics researcher, Ponsatí is due to voluntarily attend a police station in Edinburgh on Wednesday where she is likely to be detained before a preliminary court appearance that day.
As condemnation of Spain’s actions grew to include implied criticism from Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish first minister, Mapstone said: “Clara is a valued colleague and we are committed to protect and support her.
“As her employer and an institution committed to the defence of free speech, we are deeply concerned by recent developments, their motives and potential consequences.
“In the current circumstances, we believe there are legitimate arguments that Clara is being targeted for standing up for her political beliefs. That is anathema to us, and we will continue to offer her every appropriate support, while respecting due legal process.”
Meanwhile, Catherine Stihler, a former rector of St Andrews and a Labour MEP for Scotland, wrote to Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European commission, urging him to condemn Spain’s use of European arrest warrants in a political dispute.
Stihler said people had a right to self-determation, which was upheld by the treaty of the United Nations, and using an EU-wide legal process to help suppress internal political opponents risked damaging the bloc’s reputation for upholding those rights.
“I urge the commission to ensure the fundamental human rights of these individuals are respected when they come to face trial and that European arrest warrants are proportionately used where there is a significant risk to the public– such as terror-related incidents – and not with the intent to settle domestic political disputes,” she said.
Ponsatí’s lawyer, Aamer Anwar, said she would resist the application as they had serious doubts she would receive a fair trial and that Scottish courts do not recognise the offence of sedition she is being 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. The full extradition case is due to take place some weeks later, and it is expected Anwar will apply for bail.
“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.” “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. If returned we submit she will be subjected to degrading and inhumane treatment by the Spanish authorities.”
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. 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.”
Sturgeon distanced her government from the case on Sunday, insisting that she could have no role in the 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.
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.”
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.
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.
“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.”
CataloniaCatalonia
ScotlandScotland
University of St AndrewsUniversity of St Andrews
Higher educationHigher education
Nicola SturgeonNicola Sturgeon
Carles PuigdemontCarles Puigdemont
newsnews
Share on FacebookShare on Facebook
Share on TwitterShare on Twitter
Share via EmailShare via Email
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn
Share on PinterestShare on Pinterest
Share on Google+Share on Google+
Share on WhatsAppShare on WhatsApp
Share on MessengerShare on Messenger
Reuse this contentReuse this content