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| Spain withdraws Clara Ponsati arrest warrant | Spain withdraws Clara Ponsati arrest warrant |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Spain has withdrawn a European arrest warrant for a pro-independence Catalan politician who has been battling against being extradited from Scotland. | Spain has withdrawn a European arrest warrant for a pro-independence Catalan politician who has been battling against being extradited from Scotland. |
| Prof Clara Ponsati was arrested by Scottish police in March. | Prof Clara Ponsati was arrested by Scottish police in March. |
| She has been accused of rebellion and misappropriation of public funds over her role in last year's disputed independence referendum. | |
| A Spanish judge has now dropped the warrants for Ms Ponsati and other Catalan leaders who fled abroad. | A Spanish judge has now dropped the warrants for Ms Ponsati and other Catalan leaders who fled abroad. |
| They include deposed Catalan president Carles Puigdemont, who has been fighting extradition from Germany. | They include deposed Catalan president Carles Puigdemont, who has been fighting extradition from Germany. |
| In his ruling, Supreme Court judge Pablo Llarena said he had taken the decision to withdraw the European warrants after a German court agreed to extradite Puigdemont, but only for misuse of public funds and not on the more serious charge of rebellion. | In his ruling, Supreme Court judge Pablo Llarena said he had taken the decision to withdraw the European warrants after a German court agreed to extradite Puigdemont, but only for misuse of public funds and not on the more serious charge of rebellion. |
| However, national arrest warrants against Prof Ponsati and the other exiled politicians remain in place - meaning she would still face arrest by the Spanish authorities if she returns to Spain. | |
| Several of Mr Puigdemont's aides, including Oriol Junqueras, remain in jail in Spain pending trial. | |
| Prof Ponsati's full extradition hearing had been due to begin in Edinburgh at the end of this month. | |
| Her lawyer, Aamer Anwar, welcomed the news that the European warrant had now been lifted, but said there had been no official confirmation yet from Spain. | |
| He tweeted: "We await Spain's next step on warrants and a national warrant remains, which means Clara Ponsati remains in exile and political prisoners in custody." | |
| Mr Aanwar later told BBC Scotland that "we are not celebrating yet" as Spain could still issue a fresh arrest warrant seeking Prof Ponsati's extradition on different charges. | |
| Prof Ponsati, who briefly served as Catalonia's education minister, has argued that the charges against her are politically-motivated, and claimed she would not receive a fair trial if she returned to Spain. | |
| The academic has been working at the University of St Andrews and was given a standing ovation when she spoke at the SNP conference in Aberdeen last month. | The academic has been working at the University of St Andrews and was given a standing ovation when she spoke at the SNP conference in Aberdeen last month. |
| Her lawyer has previously said she faces up to 33 years in prison if convicted of the allegations facing her. | Her lawyer has previously said she faces up to 33 years in prison if convicted of the allegations facing her. |