Defiant Catalan academic to fight charges in Scotland

CATALAN academic Clara Ponsati, who is wanted in Spain on charges of rebellion for her role in Catalonia’s independence campaign, handed herself in at a Scottish police station yesterday, saying she was the object of political persecution.

Ponsati, a former Catalan education minister who is a professor at Scotland’s prestigious University of St Andrews, is fighting extradition because she believes she will not get a fair trial in Spain.

She will seek bail and a full hearing for charges which also include one of misuse of public funds in the organisation of a referendum on Catalan independence in October last year which was deemed illegal under Spanish law.

“Clara remains defiant, resolute and is determined to fight back,” her lawyer Aamer Anwar said when the two arrived at the police station.

They were greeted by supporters waving the Catalan independence flag.

“She does not believe that the Spanish courts can guarantee independence, human rights or justice,” he said. – Reuters