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Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025

Spanish Judge Summons Journalists Over Leak of Sensitive Report

Spanish Judge Summons Journalists Over Leak of Sensitive Report

Four journalists from various media outlets are investigated for allegedly revealing secrets related to high-profile political figures.
A judge in Madrid has summoned four journalists from three different media outlets to be investigated for the publication of a report by the Civil Guard, which contained messages exchanged between the Attorney General of Spain, Álvaro García Ortiz, and the Chief Prosecutor of Madrid, Pilar Rodríguez.

The journalists include two reporters from El Mundo, one from 20 Minutos, and one from El País.

The Investigative Court No. 20 in Madrid has attributed to these journalists a purported offense of revealing secrets committed by an individual, as specified in Article 199 of the Spanish Penal Code.

They are scheduled to appear for questioning on June 19, accompanied by their legal representatives, with a warning that failure to attend may result in their detention.

Pilar Rodríguez is currently being investigated by the Supreme Court for allegedly leaking a private email to the press, which involved the lawyer of Alberto González Amador, the partner of Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the President of the Community of Madrid.

Rodríguez lodged a complaint against the publication of the police report that documented her conversations with García Ortiz, who is also facing scrutiny regarding the same matter.

The Supreme Court forwarded Rodríguez's complaint to the Investigative Courts of Madrid for appropriate action, as they hold jurisdiction over such cases.

Subsequently, the Investigative Court No. 20 has chosen to investigate the four journalists who published the report from the Central Operational Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard.

The police dossier in question concludes that García Ortiz had a 'prevailing role' in the leak of the email signed by Amador's lawyer, which has been used by the government and the Socialist Party to criticize Ayuso's administration.

Furthermore, complaints regarding the publication of the UCO report were also filed by the defense teams of both the partner of the Madrid president and García Ortiz himself.

Article 199 of the Penal Code outlines penalties for revealing secrets acquired through professional or labor relationships, including prison sentences of one to three years and fines ranging from six to twelve months.

A breach of confidentiality by a professional can lead to a prison sentence of one to four years, fines of twelve to twenty-four months, and a special disqualification from the profession for a period ranging from two to six years.
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