The former Catalan minister who fled to St Andrews will fight her extradition, says her lawyer.
Clara Ponsati, who was education minister in the region’s government, is to present herself to police in Edinburgh “in the next few days”.
Her solicitor Aamer Anwar says she is the victim of a political campaign to “criminalise the desire for independence”.
The Spanish courts reactivated European arrest warrants for former members of the Catalan government on Friday, including ex-leader Carles Puigdemont and Ms Ponsati.
Police Scotland say they have been in negotiations with the fugitive professor about how she will hand herself in.
Speaking to Good Morning Scotland, Mr Anwar said: Â “My instructions are that this is a political persecution, a systematic attempt to criminalise the desire for independence.
“We believe that if she is sent back to Spain she will suffer inhumane and degrading treatment and that the independence of the judiciary in Spain cannot be guaranteed.
“Quite frankly, the charge of rebellion that Clara faces is a charge of rebellion with violence against the unity of the Spanish state, which means she faces up to 30 years in prison.”
Ms Ponsati, a professor of economics and finance at St Andrews, was education minister in the regional government when it declared independence from Spain in October following an unsanctioned referendum.
