The PSOE echoes the demands of the group of prison officials and brings to Congress the proposal that they be recognized as agents of authority, such as the Police or Civil Guard. The Socialist Parliamentary Group has presented this Thursday a Proposal for an Organic Law to recognize, for legal purposes, the character of officials of penitentiary institutions as agents of authority.
“This initiative is the result of the work that the Government and the Socialist Group have been carrying out with the majority prison unions. It includes their demands and responds to the main demand of the group of prison officials,” explains the Interior spokesperson, David Serrada.
According to the socialists, the declaration as agents of authority “will give legal security to the work carried out by these public workers and will prevent disparate judicial decisions from being issued.” Furthermore, they request that their statements and reports be considered as evidence in the disciplinary procedures regulated by this law.
Likewise, they ask that their safety be guaranteed when they enter prison, due to a conviction, ensuring their separation from other types of inmates. And they propose guaranteeing compensation from the Administration to compensate prison officials in cases of material or personal damage suffered as a result of the performance of their professional activity, provided that there has been no serious negligence.
The Council of State itself has indicated that “in matters of public officials the principle of indemnity governs, so that whoever suffers damage due to or on the occasion of their public actions, without fraud or negligence on their part, must be compensated.” This body has also said that “the official should not endure, at his expense, any damage generated within the official relationship.”
In recent weeks, the pressure from the group of prison officials had intensified after the murder of a colleague in a prison in Tarragona.
