Catalan leader to surrender to police today
Former Catalan education minister Clara Ponsati will today hand herself in to St Leonard’s Police Station in Edinburgh amid growing anger over Spanish attempts to extradite her.
Professor Ponsati, an academic at St Andrews University, faces charges of violent rebellion and misappropriation of public funds which relate to the organising of Catalonia’s independence referendum in October last year. She will be transferred to Edinburgh Sheriff Court for an extradition hearing at 2pm.
Former Catalan education minister Clara Ponsati will today hand herself into an Edinburgh police station as anger grows over Spanish attempts to extradite her.
The St Andrews University academic will attend St Leonard’s Police Station before being transferred to Edinburgh Sheriff Court for her extradition hearing at 2pm.
Last night her lawyer Aamer Anwar said the politician faces charges of violent rebellion and misappropriation of public funds, which relates to the organising of the Catalan referendum.
He said Prof Ponsati “utterly refutes” the charges.
“My legal team is instructed by Prof Ponsati to robustly defend her against the Spanish attempts to extradite her,” Mr Anwar said.
“Clara views these charges as ‘political persecution’ and submits that her human rights and justice cannot be guaranteed in the Spanish Courts. Clara remains defiant and resolute and believes that the Spanish Government will nev- er be able to crush the spirit of the Catalan people.
“She is truly humbled by the support she has received from across Scotland as well as that of the Scottish Government, but believes that it is right that our Courts must now decide what happens next.”
Yesterday Justice Secretary Michael Matheson revealed the Scottish Government has been in touch with Madrid to express its regret at the arrest of Catalan politicians.
At Holyrood, Mr Matheson said ministers had contacted the Spanish Government and added that External Affairs Secretary Fiona Hyslop is to write to the Spanish ambassador.
The Scottish Government has also pledged to raise concerns with how European Arrest Warrants are being used.
Mr Matheson said: “We have today been in touch with the Spanish embassy and the Cabinet Secretary for Culture Tourism and External Affairs is writing to the Spanish ambassador to express the Scottish Government’s regret at the issuing of a European arrest warrant.”