Legal Resource

Baltasar Garzón v Spain Background document

This background information is spilt into several sections:

1) Summary of the European Court of Human Rights case

2) Case history:
2a) Judge Garzón’s judicial decisions
2b) The investigation of Judge Garzón
2c) Judge Garzón’s suspension as a result of the case
2d) Trial phase of the criminal case against Judge Garzón

3) Franco era crimes: amnesty and investigation
3a) Franco era crimes and victim’s attempts to secure investigation
3b) Amnesty laws and duty to investigate

4) The law of ‘prevaricación’ (malfeasance) in Spain

5) The international context
5a) Judge Garzón’s decisions were in line with international law
5b) The duty to protect judicial independence
5c) International condemnation of Spain’s attack on judicial independence

6) Judge Garzón’s judicial career to date

Download