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Spain: files on the homosexual community

01 January 1997

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Last summer the town council of Sitges, near Barcelona, ordered the municipal police last to prepare special files on the homosexual community. The supposed justification was "the prevention of prostitution". The initiative, which led to the opening of police files on 235 individuals, was denounced by Catalan gay and lesbian groups, and led to a demonstration and the appearance in a court case of the councillor with responsibility for public order matters, who had given the instruction to the police. The hearing considered a complaint brought by the gay group FAGC, based on the infringement of articles 510 and 511 of the Penal Code, which cover incitement to violence or hatred against sections of the community on the grounds of race, sex or sexual preference. In late January the high court in Barcelona stopped the proceedings, finding that the identification of homosexuals was "designed to assist investigations" properly initiated by the town authorities after they received complaints from the public alleging that people were being recruited into prostitution.

Sitges has long been known as a popular destination for gay tourists. Following the court case against it, the council announced that all the files opened on homosexuals had been destroyed.

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