The law limits jurisdiction to cases in which those responsible are Spaniards or foreigners with Spanish nationality.
The Constitutional Court has unanimously approved to dismiss the appeal presented by the PSOE against the universal justice law of 2014, that was approved only with the votes of the absolute majority of the PP and that reduces the scope of application of that rule, court sources have informed Efe.
The law establishes that the Spanish justice system can only prosecute crimes of universal justice if those responsible are Spaniards or foreigners with Spanish nationality and only if the victim or the prosecution have filed a complaint in court..
Its entry into force - criticized by the opposition and questioned by investigating judges of the National Court- led to the filing of cases such as that of Tibet, the flights of the CIA and the Congo or that of the cameraman José Couso, killed in the Iraq war ago 15 years.
"La norma, that limits the competence of the Spanish justice system, led to the filing of cases such as that of Tibet, the flights of the CIA and the Congo or that of the cameraman José Couso"
The socialists turned to the TC considering that this law violates the right to effective judicial protection, in addition to attacking judicial independence. Now, The TC has endorsed the adaptation to the Constitution of the norm in a resolution whose content will be disclosed in the near future.. Nevertheless, The approval of the TC comes when the Government has already taken the first steps to modify the regulations and return to the previous one, which has been in force since 2009 and 2014.
The Executive has appointed an advisory committee to study this change, but at the same time Parliament continues its rhythm and processes an ERC bill that is even more ambitious and proposes returning to the legislation prior to 2009.
All parliamentary groups - including the PP- agree to modify this rule and eliminate the limitations imposed in 2014.
Justice
The PP presented an amendment that corrects one of the main cuts it imposed on universal justice in 2014, so that Spanish courts could prosecute crimes committed abroad if there are Spanish victims, without the need for the alleged criminals to be in Spain.
