Ex-Catalonia education minister surrenders herself

Clara Ponsati, an ex-Catalan education minister who is a professor at the University of St Andrews in Scotland has turned herself in to security operatives after European arrest warrant was issued.

Reports say Ponsati who voluntarily arrived at an Edinburgh police station on Wednesday before being formally arrested, now faces extradition to Spain.

Ponsati’s lawyer, Aamer Anwar, said she views the charges – which carry a maximum penalty of 25 years in jail – as “political persecution”.

Read also: Palestinian teen activist Tamini bags 8-month jail term

She has been accused by Spanish authorities of rebellion and misuse of public funds, and the Supreme Court of Spain issued a European arrest warrant for her and a number of separatist leaders.

The development is coming days after the detention of exiled Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont following his arrest by police near the Danish border with Germany.

Puidgemont’s arrest follows fresh legal action against separatist politicians from the wealthy northeastern region and it is coming after a Spanish High Court detained five Catalan politicians for their role in the region’s secessionist bid staged in October last year.

 

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