This Friday, the Spanish justice system heard for the first time from a victim of torture during the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, 48 years after the general’s death and more than 100 similar complaints that were not followed up in court.
Julio Pacheco, 67, appeared before a judge in Madrid, after following up on the last complaint he filed in court at the beginning of this year.
This retired typographer filed a complaint against four men whom he accuses of torturing him in August 1975, when he was 19 years old and a student, a member of the Communist Party and a member of an organization of activists against the dictatorship.
Julio Pacheco alleges that he was tortured for three days in the defunct General Directorate of Security by four agents from the Political-Social Brigade, Franco’s political police.
Over the years, more than 100 similar complaints have been filed before the Spanish justice system, but Julio Pacheco was the first person to be heard by the judicial authorities, which occurred today in an investigative court in Madrid.
Until now, the Spanish authorities have invoked, to refuse to follow up on the complaints, the statute of limitations on the alleged crimes and, above all, the amnesty law approved in 1977.
This law, considered fundamental in the so-called “Spanish transition” from dictatorship to democracy, covered political crimes committed during the dictatorship by opponents of the Franco regime and by “officials and agents of public order.”
Julio Pacheco appeared today for an hour before a judge and upon leaving the court he considered that reaching this moment “is beginning to break the wall of silence and impunity” that exists in relation to the Franco regime in Spain.
Both Julio Pacheco and his lawyer, Jacinto Lara, told reporters that they believe the process will continue after this first hearing.
In addition to Julio Pacheco, today a witness to the torture reported by the former typographer appeared before the investigating judge.
This is Rosa María García, 66 years old, who was also detained in August 1975, with Julio Pacheco, who are now married.
Rosa María García’s complaints before the court have been rejected so far, but today she was heard as a witness because in the complaint filed by Julio Pacheco he states that one of the tortures to which he was subjected was witnessing the torture of his current wife.
According to Julio Pacheco and his lawyer, today’s hearing was attended by a prosecutor from the newly created Historical Memory Prosecutor’s Office.
This structure of the Prosecutor’s Office was created within the scope of the Historical Memory Law approved last year by the current Spanish left-wing Government, with the objective, among other things, of expanding reparations to the victims of Franco’s regime.
At the door of the court where Julio Pacheco and Rosa María García appeared today were members of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that defend human rights and the rights of the victims of the Spanish dictatorship, including Amnesty International.
People gathered in front of the court displayed signs with phrases such as “Let’s end the wall of impunity” and “The victims of Franco’s regime demand justice. Respect for human rights now.”
Source: TSF
