A former Catalan minister wanted by Spanish police intends to hand herself in at a Scottish police station, it is understood.

Professor Clara Ponsati is being sought by the authorities in Madrid on charges of "violent rebellion and misappropriation of public funds" over her role in Catalonia's independence referendum last year.

The former education minister refutes the charges and plans to resist attempts to extradite her to Spain.

Her lawyer Aamer Anwar says she views the charges - which could result in a jail term of up to 30 years - as "political persecution" and believes her human rights cannot be guaranteed in Spain.

Ms Ponsati is expected to attend a police station in Edinburgh voluntarily on Wednesday morning after a European Arrest Warrant was issued for her last week.

It is likely police will place her under arrest and formally serve the warrant on her. They then have up to 60 days to extradite Ms Ponsati to Spain.

Mr Anwar said: "I understand that Clara Ponsati faces charges of violent rebellion and misappropriation of public funds which relates to the organising of the referendum, which my client utterly refutes.

"My legal team is instructed by professor Ponsati to robustly defend her against the Spanish attempts to extradite her.

"Clara views these charges as 'political persecution' and submits that her human rights and justice cannot be guaranteed in the Spanish Courts.

"Clara remains defiant and resolute and believes that the Spanish Government will never be able to crush the spirit of the Catalan people."

Ms Ponsati returned to Scotland earlier this month after fleeing to Belgium with Catalonia's former leader Carles Puigdemont and three other cabinet members following an unsuccessful attempt to declare independence from Spain in October.

She then resumed working at the University of St Andrews in Fife.

A Spanish judge issued arrest warrants on Friday for Ms Ponsati and the other fugitive politicians, including Mr Puigdemont, who was detained by police in Germany.

On Monday, a group of protesters congregated outside the Spanish consulate in Edinburgh to demonstrate against the arrest warrant and the actions of the Spanish Government.

The Scottish Government is also expected raise concerns over the use of European Arrest Warrants with the European Commission.