Widespread Torture in Spain

Once again Spain (this time under Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and his PSOE) is exposed by Amnesty International as a country that practices torture.

Here you have the report by Madrid's little darlings, the media outlet AP:

Amnesty: Torture in Spain 'Widespread'

By CIARAN GILES – Nov 22, 2007

MADRID, Spain (AP) — A human rights group accused Spain's government Thursday of turning a blind eye to what it called the "widespread and persistent" torture and abuse of people held in custody.

Amnesty International also called for closed-circuit television cameras in police stations and an independent body to look into suspected cases of torture.

"Up to now, the official attitude, from ministries to prosecutors and judges, is that there are only isolated cases. Our investigations show this is not so," said Esteban Beltran, the director of Amnesty's branch in Spain.

There have been allegations in the past of torture and mistreatment by Spanish police toward jailed members of armed Basque separatist group ETA, but London-based Amnesty said abuse occurs with all types of suspects.

"In Spain, torture and mistreatment of detained people by officers responsible for making sure the law is obeyed is a widespread and persistent practice," Amnesty said.

A senior Interior Ministry official, speaking on customary condition of anonymity, rejected Amnesty's claims that torture and abuse was common. The official said that with some 150,000 police officers it was only logical that there should be some "isolated" cases.

The report referred to 15 sample cases, most involving beatings by police and threats of further violence to the victims.

The report said one man was arrested by police in the northeastern city of Lleida in 2003 and confessed to false charges of burning an automated teller machine after being allegedly made to stand or kneel without support for hours.

And this is what true human rights organizations qualify as state sponsored terrorism.

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