Judiciary advisory board approves Garzón’s transfer to International court

Yesterday the Permanent Advisory Board for the Judiciary (La Comisión Permanente del Consejo General del Poder Judicial – CGPJ) gave permission to the high court judge Baltasar Garzón to become a member of the International Criminal Court working as an external collaborator.

This decision comes after the suspension of Garzón following the court case which is still in progress in which he faces accusations over his investigations into the crimes of Franco and the illegal financing of the Partido Popular. The Permanent Advisory Board for the Judiciary which has five members – Carlos Dívar, Almudena Lastra, Manuel Almenar, Margarita Robles and Antonio Dorado – met in Madrid yesterday to consider the request by Garzón to work in the International Criminal Court.

A report issued by the state prosecution service concluded that Garzón’s transfer to the International prosecution Tribunal did not give him any type of immunity from being prosecuted.

It also concluded there were no restrictions on Garzón travelling abroad despite the current court case.

In addition a report by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation considered that the presence of Garzón in the International court in the Hague in Holland would be of interest to Spain.