Historic Hearing on Alleged Torture During Franco’s Rule
In a landmark moment, a Spanish judge presided over a hearing on Friday regarding allegations of torture during the reign of the late dictator Francisco Franco. This event, hailed by rights groups, marks the first of its kind to undergo legal scrutiny.
The hearing, held in a Madrid courthouse, revolves around accusations against five former police officers. The lead witness, Julio Pacheco, recounted to the judge the harrowing tale of his torture by the police back in 1975 when he was just a 19-year-old student. Pacheco expressed his hope that his testimony would be a crucial step in dismantling the wall of silence and impunity surrounding abuses during Franco’s rule. His wife also gave her testimony.
In the past, similar cases were dismissed due to a 1977 amnesty law that shielded individuals from prosecution for crimes committed during the Franco era. This law was part of Spain’s endeavor to move forward and strengthen its fledgling democracy after Franco’s death two years earlier.
However, victims and human rights groups have consistently argued that grave crimes, such as torture, should not remain unpunished. Last year, the center-left Socialist government in power initiated a shift, opening the door to potential prosecutions for crimes committed during the dictatorship.
Under the Democratic Memory Law, procedures were established to investigate human rights violations spanning from the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 to the collapse of the dictatorship after Franco’s death in 1975.
While other complaints have been submitted to Spanish courts, Julio Pacheco’s case became the first to be heard by a judge, as confirmed by right groups supporting the legal action.
Pacheco’s complaint identifies five police officers allegedly involved in his torture. Paloma Garcia, representing Amnesty International’s Spanish branch and supporting the action, noted the challenge of locating some of these officers and uncertainty regarding their current status.
Ultimately, the judge will determine if there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial. The government, under Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, has taken a series of noteworthy steps regarding Franco-era issues, including overseeing the recovery of tens of thousands of missing individuals from mass graves dating back to the Spanish Civil War and Franco’s dictatorship.