The criminal division of the National Court has ordered a halt to the exhumation of mass graves from the Civil War and Franco period at the request of the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The exhumations had been ordered by Judge Baltasar Garzón after he declared himself competent to carry out investigations into the whereabouts of over 100,000 people who ‘disappeared’ during the Franco Regime. This move in itself was contentious and caused much debate, both in political and non-political circles.
The Public Prosecutor made the request to halt the exhumations and limit any investigation on the grounds that the Court itself has not made any decision as to the competency of judge Garzón to carry out such an investigation.
Judge Garzón is being ordered to limit his research and investigation so as to comply with the strict, legally established procedures in such cases and not to continue with the exhumations.