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Spanish prosecutors back jurisdiction for abuse probe into Julio Iglesias

Spain's public prosecutor's office now says the National Court can handle abuse allegations by two ex-employees against singer Julio Iglesias, reversing its January stance. A judge has given the parties five days to argue on jurisdiction.

2 outlets · 0L · 1C · 1R First reported Account updated
Image: Arab News
Image: Anadolu Agency

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The story, neutrally told

Mixed · 2Spanish prosecutors have concluded that Spain's National Court (Audiencia Nacional) can handle a complaint of abuse against singer Julio Iglesias, bringing a possible investigation a step closer, legal sources said on Thursday 15 October. Right · 1The complainants are a domestic worker and a physiotherapist who say they suffered sexual abuse and forced labour while working at Iglesias's properties in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas in 2021. Centre · 1According to Anadolu, they accuse him of sexual assault, human trafficking for forced labour, abusive working conditions, physical injuries and degrading treatment; one says she was pressured into sexual encounters and the other reports unwanted sexual touching.

Mixed · 2Iglesias, 83, has rejected the accusations, saying he has never "abused, coerced or disrespected any woman"; Anadolu says he insists they are entirely false. Centre · 1The allegations first emerged in a joint investigation by El Diario and Univision News; the women then filed a complaint with Spanish prosecutors in January through the advocacy group Women's Link Worldwide. Mixed · 2Prosecutors shelved that first complaint in January, saying Spanish courts had no jurisdiction over events in the Caribbean, where the countries were "fully competent" to investigate, and that the case lacked sufficient connections to Spain.

Mixed · 2In September the women filed a second complaint directly with the National Court, and Judge Antonio Pina requested a fresh assessment of its jurisdiction; prosecution sources said the resulting report concluded the court could handle the case but did not explain the change of opinion. Centre · 1On Thursday Judge Pina gave Iglesias and the two women five days to submit arguments on jurisdiction, and El Diario, citing legal sources, reported he is expected to decide next week whether to open a criminal investigation. Right · 1Women's Link Worldwide argues Spanish courts have jurisdiction under a law allowing prosecution of offences committed abroad when relevant links with Spain exist.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.

Left0 outlets

No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.

Centre1 outlet

Framing
Frames the story as a reversal by prosecutors that could reopen the case, with procedural detail on the judge's next steps.
Emphasis
The judge's five-day deadline, the expected decision, the specific allegations and the origin of the case in the El Diario/Univision investigation.
Leaves out or plays down
Does not mention Iglesias's career or his direct quote, nor Women's Link's legal argument.
Charged language
“reversed their earlier position”
For example
“Spanish prosecutors have reversed their earlier position and backed a court investigation” — Anadolu Agency

Right1 outlet

Framing
AFP copy carried by Arab News: a short report that a possible probe is a step closer, with background on the singer's stature.
Emphasis
Iglesias's fame and denial, the prosecutors' unexplained change of view and Women's Link's legal argument.
Leaves out or plays down
Omits the judge's five-day deadline and the detailed list of allegations.
Charged language
“veteran crooner”
For example
“A possible investigation into veteran crooner Julio Iglesias for alleged abuse of two women ex-employees is a step closer” — Arab News

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