Human rights in Spain
Encyclopedia
This article is a summary of the state of human rights in Spain.
is a democracy with a constitutional monarch. The Cortes Generales
consists of two chambers
, the Congress of Deputies and the Senate. Since 2004, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
(PSOE) has been Prime Minister of Spain
, with the title President of the Government. Elections are free and fair. The judiciary is independent.
Internal security responsibilities are divided among the National Police, which are responsible for security in urban areas; the Civil Guard, which police rural areas and control borders and highways; and police forces under the authority of the autonomous communities of Catalonia
and the Basque Country
. Civilian authorities maintained effective control of the security forces. There have been allegations that some members of the security forces have committed isolated human rights abuses.
The market-based economy, with primary reliance on private enterprise, provided the population of over 40 million with a high standard of living.
of its citizens; although there are a few problems in some areas, the law and judiciary provide effective means of addressing individual instances of abuse. There are allegations that a few members of the security forces abused detainees and mistreated foreigners and illegal immigrants. According to Amnesty International
(AI), government investigations of such alleged abuses are often lengthy and punishments were light. Lengthy pretrial detention and delays in trials are sometimes problems. Violence against women was a problem, which the Government took steps to address. Societal discrimination against Roma and immigrants remained a problem, as did occasional violence against immigrants. Trafficking in women and teenage girls for the purpose of prostitution was a problem, which the Government took steps to address.
(Basque Fatherland and Liberty) had been operating under an indefinite ceasefire, which, however, ended on the 30th of December 2006. ETA sympathizers also continued a campaign of street violence and vandalism
in the Basque region. Judicial proceedings against members of ETA continued, and Spanish and French police arrested 126 suspected ETA members and collaborators. The Spanish National Audience has made relatively regular police raids in which they arrest young separatist activists allegedly suspicious of belonging to ETA, they are locked for 5 days with the Civil Guard under interrogation with no cameras (it has been demanded of the Spanish government to provide cameras and ensure safety for arrested suspects through this isolation period, but it has been avoided), and when they are freed they claim having been tortured. There have been lots of claims of torture, even by the director of the most important Basque-language newspaper Egunkaria
Martxelo Otamendi, many of these cases have been defended in court and a few led to sanctions for Civil Guard members. Through the last decade in several town squares crowds of family members of arrested individuals have regularly gathered showing pictures of their family members accompanied by slogans of protest, these gatherings have very often been dispersed by police. Prolonged fights between locals and police in Basque towns have not been uncommon in the last decade.
Law and government
SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
is a democracy with a constitutional monarch. The Cortes Generales
Cortes Generales
The Cortes Generales is the legislature of Spain. It is a bicameral parliament, composed of the Congress of Deputies and the Senate . The Cortes has power to enact any law and to amend the constitution...
consists of two chambers
Chambers
Chambers may refer to:Places*In Canada:**Chambers Township, Ontario*In the United States:**Chambers County, Alabama**Chambers, Arizona, an unincorporated community in Apache County**Chambers, Nebraska**Chambers Township, Holt County, Nebraska...
, the Congress of Deputies and the Senate. Since 2004, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party . He was elected for two terms as Prime Minister of Spain, in the 2004 and 2008 general elections. On 2 April 2011 he announced he will not stand for re-election in 2012...
of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party is a social-democratic political party in Spain. Its political position is Centre-left. The PSOE is the former ruling party of Spain, until beaten in the elections of November 2011 and the second oldest, exceeded only by the Partido Carlista, founded in...
(PSOE) has been Prime Minister of Spain
Prime Minister of Spain
The President of the Government of Spain , sometimes known in English as the Prime Minister of Spain, is the head of Government of Spain. The current office is established under the Constitution of 1978...
, with the title President of the Government. Elections are free and fair. The judiciary is independent.
Internal security responsibilities are divided among the National Police, which are responsible for security in urban areas; the Civil Guard, which police rural areas and control borders and highways; and police forces under the authority of the autonomous communities of Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
and the Basque Country
Basque Country (autonomous community)
The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories....
. Civilian authorities maintained effective control of the security forces. There have been allegations that some members of the security forces have committed isolated human rights abuses.
The market-based economy, with primary reliance on private enterprise, provided the population of over 40 million with a high standard of living.
Human rights
The Government respects the human rightsHuman rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
of its citizens; although there are a few problems in some areas, the law and judiciary provide effective means of addressing individual instances of abuse. There are allegations that a few members of the security forces abused detainees and mistreated foreigners and illegal immigrants. According to Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
(AI), government investigations of such alleged abuses are often lengthy and punishments were light. Lengthy pretrial detention and delays in trials are sometimes problems. Violence against women was a problem, which the Government took steps to address. Societal discrimination against Roma and immigrants remained a problem, as did occasional violence against immigrants. Trafficking in women and teenage girls for the purpose of prostitution was a problem, which the Government took steps to address.
Basque separatists
From 22 March 2006 ETAETA
ETA , an acronym for Euskadi Ta Askatasuna is an armed Basque nationalist and separatist organization. The group was founded in 1959 and has since evolved from a group promoting traditional Basque culture to a paramilitary group with the goal of gaining independence for the Greater Basque Country...
(Basque Fatherland and Liberty) had been operating under an indefinite ceasefire, which, however, ended on the 30th of December 2006. ETA sympathizers also continued a campaign of street violence and vandalism
Vandalism
Vandalism is the behaviour attributed originally to the Vandals, by the Romans, in respect of culture: ruthless destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or venerable...
in the Basque region. Judicial proceedings against members of ETA continued, and Spanish and French police arrested 126 suspected ETA members and collaborators. The Spanish National Audience has made relatively regular police raids in which they arrest young separatist activists allegedly suspicious of belonging to ETA, they are locked for 5 days with the Civil Guard under interrogation with no cameras (it has been demanded of the Spanish government to provide cameras and ensure safety for arrested suspects through this isolation period, but it has been avoided), and when they are freed they claim having been tortured. There have been lots of claims of torture, even by the director of the most important Basque-language newspaper Egunkaria
Egunkaria
Egunkaria was for thirteen years the only fully Basque language newspaper in circulation, until it was closed down on February 20, 2003 by the Spanish authorities, due to allegations of an illegal association with ETA, the armed Basque separatist group. After 7 years, on 15 April 2010 the...
Martxelo Otamendi, many of these cases have been defended in court and a few led to sanctions for Civil Guard members. Through the last decade in several town squares crowds of family members of arrested individuals have regularly gathered showing pictures of their family members accompanied by slogans of protest, these gatherings have very often been dispersed by police. Prolonged fights between locals and police in Basque towns have not been uncommon in the last decade.
External links
- http://hrw.org/doc/?t=europe&c=spain – Human Rights WatchHuman Rights WatchHuman Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
on SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... - US Department of State Report on Human Rights in SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, 2004 (Most text taken directly from this article) - Censorship in Spain - IFEXInternational Freedom of Expression ExchangeThe International Freedom of Expression eXchange , founded in 1992, is a global network of around 90 non-governmental organisations that promotes and defends the right to freedom of expression....