Former Transport Minister Jose Luis Abalos was taken to Soto del Real prison on Thursday following a ruling by Spain’s Supreme Court ordering his pre-trial detention over a corruption scandal that has embroiled Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s left-wing government.
The court said Abalos, a senior member of the ruling Socialist Party, posed a flight risk, making pre-trial detention necessary. He, along with his aide Koldo Garcia and a businessman, is accused of rigging public contracts for medical supplies, including face masks, during the COVID-19 pandemic while he was in office. Both Abalos and Garcia deny any wrongdoing. In a related development, the Supreme Court ordered on Wednesday the provisional release of former senior Socialist Party official Santos Cerdan, citing a reduced risk of evidence tampering amid the ongoing corruption investigation. Cerdan, who was remanded in custody in June, faces potential charges including involvement in a criminal organisation, bribery and influence-peddling linked to kickbacks for awarding public works contracts. Speaking to journalists after leaving Soto del Real prison, Cerdan said he hoped “the truth will prevail and that, in the end, justice will be done.” The case against Cerdan is the most serious in a series of scandals dogging Spain’s Socialist-led left-wing minority government, which forced Prime Minister Sanchez to apologise in June and fend off calls from opponents for a snap election. In a separate Supreme Court case, anti-corruption prosecutors are seeking 24 years’ imprisonment for Abalos, the Socialist Party’s former organisational secretary, in connection with the same COVID-19 medical contracts. The court noted it had secured information “that would very likely have been concealed or would have been very difficult to access” if Cerdan had remained free. Under the court’s conditions, Cerdan must surrender his passport, report to the Supreme Court every 15 days, and remain in Spain. The court added that there was no risk of a repeat offence since Cerdan no longer holds public office or party leadership positions.
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Iran has launched missiles and drones targeting U.S. military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait, according to Iranian state media and a U.S. official, in retaliation for recent U.S. strikes on Iran.
Lionel Messi made World Cup history as Argentina finished top of Group J, while Austria and Algeria both reached the Round of 32 after a dramatic draw that ended Iran's hopes of progressing.
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Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 28 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
France said on Saturday it was considering taking reciprocal measures after Burkina Faso broke off diplomatic relations.
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A tanker reported being struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, Britain's maritime security agency said, after the United States and Iran each launched strikes in the worst escalation since they signed their interim peace deal.
Germany and Poland are bracing for sweltering conditions as a deadly heatwave that has gripped Western Europe moves east, with temperatures expected to approach 40°C over the weekend.
Lionel Messi made World Cup history as Argentina finished top of Group J, while Austria and Algeria both reached the Round of 32 after a dramatic draw that ended Iran's hopes of progressing.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 28 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
U.S. President Donald Trump has nominated Oklahoma law enforcement veteran Lance Schroyer to serve as the next director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
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"I will be president for only a couple of weeks, and then I will resign," Vucic told supporters at a pro-government rally in the capital, Belgrade.
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