The challenges posed to the recent investigation of crimes committed during the Spanish Civil War and Francoism

Abstract

The objective of this chapter is to give a general account of what the Spanish courts have done so far in terms of investigating and prosecuting the past violations of human rights. This general account elaborate on the grave crimes that were committed: 1) in the Spain Civil War (1936-39); 2) in the immediate post-war period -years that has been designated as ‘the great repression’ (1939-48); 3) in the years that followed and labeled by the Council of Europe as the ‘deeply disturbing human rights record’ of Francoism; and, finally, 4) the crimes committed in the initial stages of the transition to democracy.