Judges denounce Spanish government ‘interference’ in judiciary

An association of Spanish judges has denounced “interference” by the Spanish government in the judiciary, including Spain’s Constitutional Court. The claim made by the Association of Judges for Democracy in a public statement accused the Spanish government of “interfering” in the court’s decision on Catalonia and its push for independence. According to the association, the “interference” of the Spanish government in judicial issues is “unacceptable.”

Judges in Spain are not allowed to join unions. However, they can be members of their own associations, through which they aim to protect their rights and working conditions. Currently, there are five judges’ associations, and 54% of judges in Spain are members of one of them. The Association of Judges for Democracy has the third largest membership, of around 500 judges.

Examples of “political interference” in the judiciary

The association cited two examples to show what they consider “political interference.” They denounced the justice minister’s recent statement claiming that Catalan leaders might be barred from holding public office before their trials for sedition and rebellion start. Yet, the judges association maintains that the justice minister’s statements are not “respectful of the separation of powers and judicial independence.”

The statement also refers to a Spanish newspaper report that members of the central government contacted judges in Spain’s Constitutional Court before they made a decision on the legality of Carles Puigdemont’s bid to be Catalan president. They point out that this is “unacceptable”.