Police face prison for alleged torture

8 November 2007

MADRID – Public prosecutors yesterday called for sentences totaling 40 years for five Barcelona regional police officers who allegedly beat and tortured a man they had mistaken for a suspect in a robbery in July 2006.

The victim, of Romanian origin, suffered various cuts and bruises during his arrest and detention.

The prosecutors consider three of the officers to be responsible for these injuries and torture, and as such are demanding 10 years for each. The other two are facing seven- and three-year sentences for related but lesser charges.

The man, who is a haemophiliac, was allegedly detained on the street amid a shower of blows. The plain-clothes officers stamped on him and smashed his head against the pavement. They only identified themselves as policemen when members of the public tried to intervene.

Subject: Spanish news