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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| 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| Spain has withdrawn a European arrest warrant for a pro-independence Catalan politician who has been battling against being extradited from Scotland. | Spain has withdrawn a European arrest warrant for a pro-independence Catalan politician who has been battling against being extradited from Scotland.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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | Prof Ponsati's full extradition hearing had been due to begin in Edinburgh at the end of this month. |
| Scottish prosecutors had previously said they planned to use the centuries-old law of treason to try to send her back to Spain. | |
| 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. | 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." | 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. | 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. | 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. |
| 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. |
| The Catalonian independence movement has close links with its Scottish counterpart, and Prof Ponsati was given a standing ovation at the SNP conference in Aberdeen last month. | |
| She had been working as the director of the School of Economics and Finance at the University of St Andrews since January 2016, before being appointed as the Catalan government's education minister in July of last year. | |
| Prof Ponsati returned to work at St Andrews earlier this year, having been in Belgium since fleeing Spain with Mr Puigdemont and three other former cabinet members following an unsuccessful bid to declare independence from Spain in October. |