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.
Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Hikmat Hajiyev, held a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the 23rd Doha Forum ...
The 23rd edition of the Doha Forum commenced on Saturday in the Qatari capital, focusing on the theme “Justice in Action: Beyond Promises to Progres...
A railway hub near Kyiv was struck during a large-scale Russian drone and missile assault, damaging the depot and railway carriages, the Ukrainian sta...
Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have strengthened their energy partnership with the launch of a joint exploration project in the Ustyurt region, highlightin...
Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have strengthened their energy partnership with the launch of a joint exploration project in the Ustyurt region, highlighting growing strategic cooperation between the two countries.
The 23rd edition of the Doha Forum commenced on Saturday in the Qatari capital, focusing on the theme “Justice in Action: Beyond Promises to Progress.”
Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Hikmat Hajiyev, held a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the 23rd Doha Forum in Qatar, aimed at deepening cooperation between the two countries.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., has finalized the group stage for the tournament co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, setting the schedule and matchups for next summer’s expanded 48-team event.
Israel was cleared on Thursday to participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, a decision made by the organisers, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which sparked a major controversy.
Pakistan and Afghanistan exchanged heavy fire along their shared border late on Friday, a reminder of how sensitive the frontier remains despite ongoing diplomatic efforts.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for its support of the claims by United Arab Emirates on three Iranian islands.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping accompanied French President Emmanuel Macron to Chengdu on Friday, a rare gesture seemingly reserved for the head of Europe's second-largest economy that highlights Beijing's focus on Paris in its ties with the European Union.
The 23rd edition of the Doha Forum commenced on Saturday in the Qatari capital, focusing on the theme “Justice in Action: Beyond Promises to Progress.”
A railway hub near Kyiv was struck during a large-scale Russian drone and missile assault, damaging the depot and railway carriages, the Ukrainian state railway company Ukrzaliznytsia reported on Saturday.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 6th of December, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Australia has moved to directly pressure the Taliban leadership, imposing financial sanctions and travel bans on four senior officials it says are responsible for the steady erosion of women’s rights in Afghanistan.
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