Joan Busquets files criminal complaint for Francoist-era torture

Joan Busquets i Vergés, a 98-year-old former anti-Francoist guerrilla known as ‘El Senzill’, has filed a criminal complaint against former prison officials for crimes against humanity and torture. The legal action, supported by the CGT union, targets individuals who served at the San Miguel de los Reyes prison in Valencia, where Busquets was incarcerated for 15 years during the post-war period.

Busquets, a former CNT militant, was captured in 1949 following an operation against electrical infrastructure in Terrassa. Although initially sentenced to death, his penalty was commuted to prison time. He alleges that during his imprisonment, he suffered physical violence, torture, and medical neglect.

In addition to the criminal complaint filed in Valencia, Busquets is pursuing an economic claim against the Spanish state for damages suffered during his incarceration. While a previous request for one million euros in compensation was rejected because the 2022 Democratic Memory Law does not provide for such indemnities, the procedure has been reopened following the submission of new documentation.