Spain's 600,000-euro fines for unauthorised demonstrations 'problematic', and austerity 'a threat to human rights', says European Commissioner
Thursday, December 5, 2013 @ 10:25 AM
COUNCIL of Europe's Human Rights Commissioner Nils Muiznieks says Spain's controversial Public Safety Law is 'highly problematic' and that if it 'goes any further', he will 'take it up with authorities' in the country.
Among the unpopular measures, which have been the subject of a barrage of complaints from members of the public, is the threat of a 600,000-euro fine for anyone organising demonstrations without prior consent from local, regional or national authorities as applicable – consent which they understand may be denied.
Pressure groups and society in general consider this a 'gagging order' preventing them from displaying their discontent in public over unpopular government policies.
And Commissioner Muiznieks believes the planned legislation could be 'dangerous' since it raises doubts as to how clear the legal terms involved are, from the point of view of interpretation by a judge and by the ordinary person, and also as to 'whether such restrictions are really necessary in a democratic society' to maintain public order 'without interfering too much in the right to freedom of demonstration'.
“If it goes any further I will take up the matter with the Spanish authorities,” stated Muiznieks.
He announced this after presenting the Council of Europe's report on the impact of the financial crisis on human rights at a conference in Brussels, during which he called upon the EU and the 'Troika' – the Central European Bank (BCE), the International Monetary Fund (FMI) and European Commission (EC) to bear in mind the 'impact' of their financial assistance terms and conditions on quality of life and basic rights of citizens in the countries in question.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com