Countries
Spain

Spain is a Kingdom of Western Europe. The King is Juan Carlos I of Spain, the Prime Minister is José Luis Zapatero, elected for the second term in 2008.

The government respects the citizens’ human rights, however there have been certain problems, linked to the legal and judiciary system. There have been reports on cases of police brutality towards detainees, foreigners and illegal immigrants.

ETA, the armed Basque group, continues its violent campaign. However in July 2009 the European Court of Human Rights has removed the ban on the Batasuna and Herri Batasuna Basque political parties, that had been activated with the motivation that they were linked to ETA. On the same day, the Court resolved two correlated cases, sustaining that the incapacity to participate to the elections of two subjects linked to the banned parties, did not violate their freedom of expression.

Violence against women continues to be a serious problem, which the government tried to resolve, as well as discrimination against the Roma and immigrants, trafficking of women and young girls for prostitution.

A judiciary inquest has been set in motion on the forced disappearances during the civil war of 1936-1939 and the Francoist regime.

On December 12 2009 the government adopted a national action plan for human rights.