La política española de protección y asistencia consulares a los ciudadanos españoles detenidos en el extranjero

Abstract

Spanish citizens imprisoned abroad are among the main beneficiaries of Spain’s consular protection and assistance policy. These citizens often find themselves in a vulnerable situation, given that they might be incarcerated in countries whose legal systems are not comparable with Spain’s, while the conditions of their penal institutions might be far from adequate. Growing public concern in Spain for the situation of these citizens has led to the creation of one of the world’s most generous prisoner assistance programs, not only in terms of the frequency of consular visits to these prisons but also as regards the financial support provided to those under arrest. The program contrasts markedly with those run by Spain’s neighbours, where the support offered can only be described as minimal. Unfortunately, the current economic crisis affecting Spain threatens to hamper this work of the country’s consular network; yet, given that a large part of the assistance provided by the Consular Offices to Spanish citizens imprisoned abroad does not involve the spending of public funds, the crisis should not undermine the human component of these assistance programs.