Spanish Court Investigates 4 Journalists over Testimony in Police Abuse Case

Spanish journalist Guillermo Martínez is photographed with police officers at a protest in Madrid. Martínez and three other journalists are being investigated for giving false testimony. (Photo credits: Fer Capdepon)

The Provincial Court of Madrid acquitted a police officer of attacking freelance photojournalist Guillermo Martínez during a demonstration in 2021 and ruled that prosecutors should investigate Martínez and three other journalists for alleged false testimony.

They were freelance photographers Fermín Grodira and Juan Carlos Mohr, as well as a writer from a website called Público, whose identity remains secret, all of whom testified in support of Martínez during his trial.

The criminal code of Spain stipulates that each of them could face a fine and up to two years in prison if convicted of giving false testimony.

According to Martínez, a riot police officer hit him from behind with a baton and threw him to the ground on April 7, 2021, during a demonstration by the far-right Vox party in Madrid. The identity of the officer has not been disclosed.

The three other journalists also took videos of the incident, which Martínez showed at the trial. 

During a November court decision that acquired the police officer, which was upheld on February 16, the court ruled it couldn't determine whether an officer struck Martínez with a baton. It also found that Martínez fell, and an officer helped him to his feet. Afterward, that court recommended that the four journalists be investigated for their testimony in the trial, which the Provincial Court of Madrid affirmed in its ruling.

Five reporters allege that police assaulted several reporters during the demonstration on April 7 as officers tried to contain the crowd.

Martínez said the February 16 judgment could not be appealed, and while the Spanish Constitutional Court accepts complaints regarding such cases, the court "only accepts one percent of the cases and takes an average of six years before issuing a ruling," so he would not file a complaint there.

*This article contains information sourced from CPJ.