Clara Ponsati defence fundraiser pulls in £100,000 in three hours

An online fundraiser set up to fight the extradition of a former Catalan minister from Scotland to Spain has pulled in more than £100,000 in just three hours.

Clara Ponsati, an economist at St Andrews University, handed herself in at an Edinburgh police station this morning after a European arrest warrant was issued by the Madrid authorities.

She is expected to appear from custody at Edinburgh Sheriff Court at 2pm.

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Clara Ponsati defence fundraiser pulls in £100,000 in three hours
Clara Ponsati is facing extradition to Spain on charges of rebellion in relation to her support for Catalan independence (Picture: AFP/Getty)Clara Ponsati is facing extradition to Spain on charges of rebellion in relation to her support for Catalan independence (Picture: AFP/Getty)
Clara Ponsati is facing extradition to Spain on charges of rebellion in relation to her support for Catalan independence (Picture: AFP/Getty)

The academic was a minister in the devolved Catalan government when it unilaterally declared independence last year following a hugely controversial referendum.

An online fundraiser launched today has since attracted more than 3,000 individual donations.

In a statement, Ponsati said: “I need your urgent support to raise funds for my legal defence against this political prosecution and the systematic attempt to criminalise the desire for independence by more than 2 million voters in Catalonia. The offence I am charged with is punishable by up to 30 years imprisonment.

“It pains me to say this but there is no guarantee of due process in Spain and no guarantee of a right to a fair trial in a country where most members of the Catalan Government are already in prison or in exile.”

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