St Andrews professor Clara Ponsati appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court where her lawyer Aamer Anwar said her case is a “grotesque distortion of the truth” and an abuse of process.

INDEPENDENCE: Former Catalan minister faces charge of rebellion

The Spanish case for the extradition of St Andrews professor Clara Ponsati is a “grotesque distortion of the truth” and an abuse of process, her lawyer says.

Clara Ponsati, the former Catalan minister, faces charges of rebellion and misappropriation of public funds for her role in Catalonia’s push for independence.

She appeared for a preliminary hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday and is expected to learn her fate following a two-week hearing starting on July 30.

Speaking after yesterday’s procedural court appearance, her lawyer Aamer Anwar said his client “utterly refutes the charges”.

“Clara is an esteemed university professor who has never committed a criminal act in her life, but if extradited she faces up to 33 years for peacefully promoting a referendum,” he said.

“At today’s hearing we advised the court that we intend to fight the extradition on many grounds, including fundamentally that the Spanish are guilty of an abuse of process.”

Mr Anwar described the warrant, which sets out the case for extradition, as a “grotesque distortion of the truth”.

Spanish judges re-issued the European arrest warrant last month for Prof Ponsati and other former Catalonian ministers, following the unsanctioned referendum in Catalonia and the regional government’s declaration of independence.

During yesterday’s court hearing, Gordon Jackson QC, for Prof Ponsati, told Sheriff Nigel Ross that he intended to challenge the case on grounds including the validity of the warrant, the lack of a relevant offence in Scotland and his client’s human rights.

He said: “The fundamental position which is taken here is the abuse of process.

“This is wrapping up in legalistic form something which is purely a political decision.

“It is an attempt to squeeze it into some legal formulae and we intend to show that’s exactly what is happening here.”

Dozens of pro-Catalan independence supporters gathered outside court to support the economics professor, who fled to Fife and returned to academic post in March.

A letter signed by dozens of Spanish academics based in the UK and abroad says their country’s judges are acting independently from the government in accordance with the rule of law, and in response to an illegal referendum.

The academics criticised St Andrews University principal Sally Mapstone for disparaging their country’s legal system and demanded the “Spanish authorities and its citizens are shown the respect that they are due”.

Another provisional hearing is set for May 15 at the same court.

At today’s hearing we advised the court that we intend to fight the extradition on many grounds

Picture: PA. Lawyer Aamer Anwar said his client Professor Clara Ponsati “utterly refutes the charges”.