Spanish Prosecutors Drop Sexual Assault Complaint Against Julio Iglesias
Prosecutors said on Jan. 23 they shelved a complaint against Julio Iglesias, concluding Spain’s National Court lacks jurisdiction over alleged incidents in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas.
Overview
The Public Prosecutor's Office of Spain's National Court dismissed the complaint against Julio Iglesias on Jan. 23, saying the court lacked jurisdiction over alleged assaults in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas, officials said.
Women’s Link Worldwide filed the complaint on behalf of two former employees who allege sexual assault, human trafficking and harassment at Iglesias's Caribbean residences in 2021, the NGO and court records show.
Julio Iglesias, 82, denied the accusations on Instagram, writing "I deny having abused, coerced or disrespected any woman," and lawyer José Antonio Choclán said he will defend the singer, records show.
An investigation by elDiario.es and Univision collected testimony from 15 former employees about alleged abusive practices, and prosecutors said they granted the two complainants protected-witness status and questioned them remotely.
The Public Prosecutor's Office said prosecution could still be pursued in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas, and Women’s Link Worldwide said it may file directly with Spain's investigating courts, the NGO said.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources report this story without evident editorial framing: they attribute charged terms (e.g., 'normalised abuse', 'human trafficking') to NGOs or complainants, present prosecutors' jurisdiction ruling and Iglesias' denial, and include factual context about his career. Coverage balances allegations and responses, with descriptive details clearly labeled as source claims rather than reporter assertion.
Sources (6)
FAQ
Prosecutors shelved the complaint on January 23 because Spain’s National Court lacks jurisdiction over the alleged incidents that occurred in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas.
Two former employees, a domestic worker and a physiotherapist, alleged sexual assault, harassment, human trafficking for forced labor, inappropriate touching, mistreatment, and in one case rape, at his residences in the Dominican Republic and Bahamas in 2021.
Iglesias denied the allegations on Instagram, stating 'I deny having abused, coerced or disrespected any woman' and calling them 'absolutely false' that cause him great sadness.
Women’s Link Worldwide filed the complaint on behalf of the two women on January 5. Prosecutors granted them protected-witness status, questioned them remotely, but shelved the case due to jurisdiction; prosecution may continue in the Dominican Republic and Bahamas.
An investigation by elDiario.es and Univision collected testimony from 15 former employees about alleged abusive practices at Iglesias's properties.
History
3 sources