Bill to raise penalties for attacks on authority

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The bill, introduced by the VOX parliamentary group, would raise penalties for the crime of attacking authority. Prison terms would go from two years and six months to four years when the attack is against authority, and from one to three years in other cases.
2. A new section would add a harsher penalty, three to six years in prison, for attacks on Government members, members of Congress, the Senate, regional assemblies, local councils, the General Council of the Judiciary, Constitutional Court justices, judges, magistrates or public prosecutors.
3. The bill would raise the penalty for serious resistance or disobedience, from three months to one year in prison up to six months to one year in prison. It would also cover private security staff working with the security forces.
4. The fine for showing disrespect toward authority would go from one to three months up to six months to one year.
5. The authors justify the reform by the rise in these crimes in recent years and by the fact that Spanish penalties are lower than those in countries such as France, Italy and Germany.
6. The law would take effect the day after its publication in the Official State Gazette, if it were passed.

Who it affects

• Agents of authority, such as police officers, whose criminal protection would be strengthened.: Penalties for those who attack or disobey them would be higher.
• People who attack, resist or seriously disobey authority.: They would face higher prison and fine penalties than current ones.
• Government members, lawmakers, local officials, judges and prosecutors.: Attacks against them would carry a specific aggravated penalty.
• Private security staff working with the security forces.: They would be included for the first time in the crime of serious resistance or disobedience.

Words worth knowing

Atentado

A crime consisting of attacking, seriously threatening or using violence against authority, its agents or public officials while performing their duties.

Agente de la autoridad

A person who carries out orders from authority or acts on its behalf, such as members of the security forces.

Tipo agravado

A version of a crime with circumstances that make the conduct more serious, so the penalty is higher.

Proposición de Ley Orgánica

A bill to amend a law affecting fundamental rights. It is not a law until both chambers of parliament approve it.

It summarizes the text as it was introduced. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries