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Judge in Spain extends probe into Catalan separatist’s ‘Russia ties’

A Spanish judge investigating exiled Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont's alleged ties with Russia has extended his probe, highlighting links between his entourage and the Italian and German far-right.

Published: 29 January 2024 16:31 CET

Judge in Spain extends probe into Catalan separatist's 'Russia ties'

Spain’s right wing is infuriated by the prospect of Sánchez’s amnesty for Catalan separatists, as illustrated by this banner depicting Carles Puigdemont, seen at an anti-amnesty protest in Madrid on January 28th. (Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP)

The decision to extend the investigation for another six months was announced a day before Spanish lawmakers were to vote on a controversial amnesty law for separatists involved in a failed Catalan independence bid in 2017.

The amnesty law was a demand made by Puigdemont’s hardline separatist JxCat party in exchange for supporting a parliamentary vote in November that allowed Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to serve a new term in office.

In a document dated January 26th, but only released on Monday, the magistrate said he was extending by six months his investigation which was due to end on February 27th.

“Given the extraordinary complexity of the case … it is absolutely impossible to finish the investigation” by the end of February, he wrote.

READ ALSO: Carles Puigdemont, Spain’s separatist kingmaker

The aim is to determine whether Puigdemont, the Catalan regional leader during the 2017 succession bid, had contact with the Kremlin and sought Russian support for an eventual Catalan state in exchange for mainly financial “compensations”.

After reviewing evidence, the judge said he found found “information which identifies people and confirms the close personal relationships between some of those under investigation with Russian, German or Italian individuals.”

“Some (of the Russians) held diplomatic roles at the time or had relationships with the Russian secret service,” the magistrate wrote, saying such contacts were a part of “the Russian government’s political strategy.. to destabilise democracy and the European Union”.

Others were “influential members of German and Italian political parties on the extreme right,” he wrote.

The investigation involves Puigdemont and several of his close allies.

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Why Spain has decided not to ban pimping

This is the second attempt by the Socialists to carry out this proposed bill, which was rejected by parties on both sides of the political spectrum.

Even the government’s junior coalition partner Sumar voted against the move, as well as the PP, ERC, Junts, PNV and EH Bildu.

The bill aimed to punish all types of pimping, essentially profiting from the procuring of prostitution of others.

Currently, only pimps (proxenetas or chulos in Spanish) that carry out intimidation and violence are punishable, but PM Sánchez’s party has argued that the current wording of Spain’s Penal Code has led to “total impunity for pimping”.

The aim was to expand upon article 187 of the Penal Code to imprison anyone who “promotes, favours or facilitates” the prostitution of another person “for profit”, with sentences of 3 to 6 years as well as fines.

This would be extended to a further 24 months in prison if violence, intimidation or deception were used and penalties of two to four years if pimping does not involve violence, even with the consent of the sex worker.

In addition, the PSOE wanted to be able to punish third parties who earn money for renting out properties for the purpose of pimping and prostitution with two to four years in prison and fines.

The Socialists also wanted to add an article so that those who pay for sex have a criminal charge. Anyone who agrees to “the practice of acts of a sexual nature in exchange for money or another type of benefit” is punished with a fine”, the bill read.

The majority of the political parties denounced the proposal arguing that it was an “electoral” initiative.

Gala Pin, the deputy of Sumar stressed that her party couldn’t vote in favour of a bill that she has called “quite tacky”. “It proposes absolutely no solution, no itinerary, no alternative measure, no economic proposal for labour support, absolutely nothing,” she argued.

A woman holds up a sign that demands the abolition of prostitution during a demonstration with the motto “The strength of women is the future of all” in Madrid in 2021. (Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP)

Other members of Sumar criticised the bill saying that it was incomplete and that it didn’t address the root of the problem. Many also believe it will criminalise sex workers place women who practice prostitution in situations of greater vulnerability, without being able to defend themselves.

The party led by Yolanda Díaz added that they were in favour of “persecuting coercive pimping” but saw “large gaps” in the PSOE law, which they do not consider comprehensive, because it does not address social and economic measures such as employability, housing or training. They don’t want to allow prostitution to be eradicated.

READ ALSO: What’s the law on prostitution in Spain?

Sex worker María Nelly and spokesperson for Stop Abolition has requested that the government allow women to continue work in prostitution if it’s something they’ve chosen.

She argues that it doesn’t seem right that they are victimised or that their clients are seen as aggressors. Nelly also told Antena 3 that she does not approve of fines being issued to clients or to the places that provide them with safe spaces to carry out their sex work.

“The majority of girls who engage in prostitution do so freely and there are very few reports of pimping,” she stated on TV programme Espejo Público.

READ ALSO: Spain’s top court reinstates first sex workers’ union

This is now the seventh time that proposed changes to prostitution laws have been rejected in parliament.

The last changes were proposed in June 2022 and aimed to further crack down on pimping and exploitation, and punish those purchasing sex, including harsher sentences if the victim is vulnerable or underage.

At the time, the PSOE said they would not make prostitution outright illegal, but rather the exploitative activities that surround it.

Critics of tougher prostitution laws such as those of Nordic countries argue that they lead to greater secrecy surrounding sex work, more police persecution and deportations, as well as housing problems since it can be interpreted that any property, even the home of a woman who carries out prostitution, is used by a pimp for profit.

It’s worth noting as well that Spain is among the largest ‘consumer’ of prostitution in the world (3 in every 10 Spanish men have admitted to sleeping with a prostitute) and the industry represents as much as 0.35 percent of the country’s GDP: €4.2 billion a year.

Between 45,000 and 120,000 women work as prostitutes in Spain, according to different estimates.

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