THE extradition hearing of former Catalan education minister Clara Ponsati has been delayed as the UK seeks clarity on Spain's European Arrest Warrant.
Ponsati, who is a professor at St Andrews University in Fife, had been due to hand herself in to Scottish authorities today.
Following sentencing of a number of high-profile pro-independence Catalan figures, Spanish authorities want to charge Ponsati with sedition for her role in the 2017 independence referendum.
READ MORE: New European Arrest Warrant issued for Catalan Clara Ponsatí
Lawyer Aamer Anwar wrote a statement on behalf of Ponsati explaining there were "glaring contradictions contained in a ‘rambling’ warrant" which went on for 59 pages.
He said: "Recently failures by Spain to follow EAW procedures led to delays on the warrant being accepted by Belgium for the extradition of former President, Carles Puigdemont.
"Early this morning the translated warrant for Clara arrived and clarity is now being sought by the UK authorities on the warrant from Spain.
"Over the last 24 hours, we have been translating the Spanish warrant in our possession issued by a senior Judge Pablo Llarena.
"There appears to be glaring contradictions contained in a ‘rambling’ warrant stretching to some 59 pages, which jumps from ‘Rebellion’ to ‘Sedition’, whilst Clara Ponsati is accused of Sedition she only briefly mentioned on two pages, with no clarity as to her role."
It is now expected that Ponsati will hand herself in to Scottish authorities on November 14, though this is subject to change.
URGENT UPDATE DELAY TO EXTRADITION HEARING🎗 @ClaraPonsati ‘Clarity’ is being sought by UK on warrant, court is cancelled. ‘The shambolic attempts at extradition by Spain should be a source of deep embarrassment to them’ Full details👇🏽https://t.co/Lkg1C2uctx
— Aamer Anwar🎗✊🏽 (@AamerAnwar) November 6, 2019
Anwar continued: "The shambolic ‘arrogant’ attempts at extradition by Spain should be a source of deep embarrassment to them. This is now Spain’s third attempt to extradite Clara and they stand accused of abusing the European Arrest Warrant process.
"We are instructed to robustly defend Clara in what she claims to be a ‘judicially motivated act of vengeance’ against the Catalan politicians.
"Our legal team is also monitoring closely the ‘hard-line’ statements by President Pedro Sanchez, where he boasts of controlling the public prosecutor in the extradition process."
The lawyer added that legal teams "will not hesitate" to cite politicians like Sanchez as witnesses to Scots courts.
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