Read the executive summary in English, here.

Security Forces have the authority to use proportionate force in the exercise of their duties, but what happens when they act outside the law? Who is responsible for investigating and sanctioning misconduct when the police are involved?

The United Nations has repeatedly warned the Spanish State about deficiencies in criminal investigations related to cases of torture, ill-treatment, and disproportionate use of force. The European Court of Human Rights has condemned the State on 13 occasions for failing to investigate complaints concerning these matters. Meanwhile, territories such as England and Belgium have created independent mechanisms responsible for investigating police actions — but how do they work? And could such a body exist in the Spanish State?

Human rights movements have been working for years on proposals aimed at ending impunity for police violence and ensuring reparation for those affected. In the report “Independent Mechanisms for Police Oversight”, various experts provide a comparative analysis of these types of bodies in different countries and propose how such an initiative could be implemented throughout the State and its territories.