OMCT 152d ago

For 2025, the Global Torture Index classifies the country as having a moderate risk of torture and ill-treatment, based on data collected in 2023 and 2024. Torture and ill-treatment in Spain are not systematic but occur more than sporadically, especially during arrests of irregular migrants or activists of specific ideological groups, such as anarchists, pro-independence or environmentalists. Reports highlight frequent police abuses during public assemblies, detention, transport and custody, including beatings, stress positions, threats and sexual humiliation. Particularly alarming are the practices at short-term detention centres and those performed by security forces at borders, including illegal returns, with the Melilla massacre of 2022 resulting in at least 37 deaths and no independent investigation. Overcrowding, lack of independent medical assessments and the use of degrading means of restraint remain commonplace in detention centres. The Global Torture Index 2025 is the first analysis designed to assess the risk of torture and ill-treatment in 26 countries around the world. This 2025 factsheet for Spain includes an analysis of the country’s overall performance, a breakdown by thematic pillars and key recommendations to drive meaningful change in the fight against torture and the promotion of human rights.