Barcelona wants justice for Franco regime’s gay victims

Barcelona city council is preparing a lawsuit against those responsible for abuses committed against the homosexual community in the final days of the Franco regime. Head of citizens rights in the council, Jaume Asens, made the announcement during a meeting of the Network of Cities against Francoist Impunity, held in the former La Model prison on Monday.

Lawsuit should be Spain's obligation, says Barcelona official

Asens gave no further details of the lawsuit, nor who it will target, as he argued that the case is still being prepared. However, he did say that more information would be forthcoming in the next few days. Asens also said that in taking this legal action the council was acting as “a substitute administration”, as prosecuting such incidents is the “state’s obligation”.

Barcelona council already announced in March that it would bring a lawsuit against Carlos Rey González, the military official who signed the death warrant of Catalan militant activist, Salvador Puig Antich, who was executed in March 1974. Both lawsuits are the result of the commitment against the crimes of the Franco regime adopted by the local authority in the chamber and as part of the city network.

La Model prison, symbol of Francoist repression

In fact, the meeting held in La Model prison on Monday is the first since Barcelona this year took over the presidency of the Network of Cities against Francoist Impunity from Pamplona. La Model prison, which only closed down last year, became a symbol of Francoist repression over the decades of the dictator's regime. Meanwhile, the network states its aims as “bringing down the walls of impunity for the crimes of the dictatorship.”

Network of Cities against Francoist Impunity 

Set up in Pamplona in October 2016, the Network of Cities against Francoist Impunity is made up of Barcelona, Pamplona, Coruña, Cadiz, Zaragoza, Rivas, Vitoria, Tarragona, Valencia and Madrid. All of the cities have passed motions in their chambers committing them to bringing about justice for the victims of the Franco regime in each municipality.