The Human Rights Committee urges Spain to strengthen the fight against corruption to protect democracy and fundamental rights
In july, the United Nations Human Rights Committee adopted its seventh periodic report on Spain, evaluating the country’s compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Among its numerous recommendations, the Committee emphasized the urgent need to intensify efforts to prevent and combat corruption at all levels of the State.
The Committee positively acknowledged some recent initiatives by the Spanish government, particularly the approval of Law 2/2023 on the protection of whistleblowers and the creation of the Independent Authority for the Protection of Whistleblowers, which are key mechanisms to detect and report corrupt conduct.
However, the Committee expressed concern over the lack of significant progress in preventing corruption in key sectors such as the highest executive functions of the central government, law enforcement agencies, parliamentarians, judges, and prosecutors. Additionally, it noted that the implementation of Law 19/2013 on transparency and good governance remains incomplete, and that the disciplinary regime for law enforcement requires urgent revision to improve accountability.
To strengthen public integrity, the Committee urges the Spanish State to investigate and prosecute all cases of corruption swiftly, independently, and impartially, especially those involving high-ranking officials, applying sanctions proportional to the severity of the offense. It must also guarantee the independence, effectiveness, transparency, and accountability of all anti-corruption bodies and entities. Furthermore, it recommends implementing training and awareness campaigns aimed at public officials, politicians, businesspeople, and the general public to raise awareness about the social and economic costs of corruption and disseminate available mechanisms to combat it.
Corruption undermines trust in institutions and weakens respect for human rights. Therefore, the Committee highlights the necessity for Spain to strengthen its commitment to transparency and accountability to ensure that the exercise of public power aligns with democratic principles and fundamental rights.
At FIBGAR, we reiterate the importance of Spain decisively advancing the implementation of these recommendations to strengthen a robust democracy and protect fundamental rights. The fight against corruption is essential to guarantee strong institutions and the public’s trust in the democratic system.
