Overhaul of Spain's citizen security law: fewer fines, more safeguards

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The bill would require police actions to be interpreted in the way most favorable to fundamental rights, especially the rights to assemble, demonstrate, express opinions, join unions and strike.
2. It would allow police to stop and identify someone only on reasonable suspicion based on that person's behavior or objective circumstances. Officers would have to identify themselves and not discriminate. If someone is taken to a police station for identification, it could last at most two hours, extendable to six, and they would receive a receipt.
3. It would make dissolving a demonstration a last resort, with clear and sufficient verbal warning beforehand, and lack of prior notice would not prevent people from exercising the right to assemble.
4. It would downgrade or remove several serious offenses: possessing drugs not intended for trafficking and growing them would become minor offenses, as would driving people to access drugs; the offense of demonstrations outside the Congress, Senate or regional assemblies would disappear.
5. It would lower fines: very serious offenses would range from €25,001 to €600,000, serious ones from €501 to €25,000, and minor ones from €100 to €500. People earning up to 1.5 or up to 2.5 times the minimum wage would get reductions of 50% or 25%.
6. It would allow voluntary payment within fifteen days to cut the fine by half for serious and minor offenses, and fines could be paid in installments or suspended through educational or reparative activities, especially for minors.
7. It would make photographing or sharing images of police officers an offense only if it creates a real danger, which must be documented with reasons in the report; merely taking images at demonstrations would not be an offense.
8. It would keep prior law for sanctioning procedures already underway unless the new law is more favorable, and the law would take effect the day after its publication in the official state gazette.

Who it affects

• People taking part in demonstrations or assemblies: They would gain safeguards: dissolution would be a last resort and lack of prior notice would not block the right to assemble.
• People stopped by police for identification: Identification would require reasonable suspicion, and time at the station would be capped at two hours, extendable to six.
• People fined under this law: They could get reductions for low income, a 50% discount for voluntary payment, and installments or suspension of fines.
• People who use or carry drugs in public: Possession not intended for trafficking and growing drugs would drop from serious to minor offenses, with fines of €100 to €500.
• People who film or share images of police officers: It would only be an offense if it creates a real danger, not for merely taking or sharing images.

Words worth knowing

Ley orgánica (organic law)

A Spanish law that requires an absolute majority in the Congress and is reserved for major matters such as fundamental rights.

Infracción leve, grave y muy grave (minor, serious and very serious offense)

The three levels of administrative offense, from least to most serious, with matching fines.

Pago voluntario (voluntary payment)

Paying the fine within a set period in exchange for a reduction, giving up the right to argue the case.

Ponencia (drafting committee)

A small group of members of parliament that studies the bill and writes a report with the agreed text.

Salario Mínimo Interprofesional (minimum wage)

The lowest legal wage that can be paid for a full working day in Spain.

It summarizes the drafting committee report. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries