The PSOE presents a bill in response to the demands of prison officials
The Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) has taken a step forward to address one of the main demands of prison officials. After the crisis in Catalan prisons and the continued protests after the murder of Núria López, cook at Mas d’Enric, the socialists have registered a bill in the Congress of Deputies with the aim of recognizing the character of agents of the authority of officials belonging to bodies or levels of penitentiary institutions in the exercise of their functions. Furthermore, the proposal establishes that the reports issued by officials who witnessed the events constitute a sufficient basis for adopting sanctioning resolutions in disciplinary procedures, provided that they provide all available evidentiary elements and there is no evidence to the contrary.
Recognition and protection for prison officers
The initiative also seeks to guarantee the protection and recognition of prison officials. It proposes that the administration financially compensate officials when they suffer personal or material damage in the act or on the occasion of their service, provided that there is no serious negligence or incompetence. In addition, it proposes the separation of prison officials from the rest of the detainees in the event of arrest, as well as their separation from other inmates when entering prison to safeguard their physical integrity. These proposals are part of a reform of the General Organic Penitentiary Law.
Union support and legal security
The PSOE Interior spokesperson in Congress, David Serrada, highlights that this proposal is the result of the work carried out with the majority prison unions, with the aim of collecting their demands and responding to the main demand of the group of prison officials. . The objective is to provide legal security to the work carried out by these public workers and avoid the disparity of judicial rulings.
History of the proposal and political support
This legislative initiative presented by the PSOE is similar to a proposal that the party already presented four years ago, in July 2020. On that occasion, it received the support of several parties, including the Popular Party, Junts per Catalunya and Unidas Podemos, while that ERC, Bildu, the BNG and the CUP opposed its consideration. Although the proposal was not debated until 2022 and finally expired due to the dissolution of the Congress of Deputies.