establishing and implementing a more formal policy on human rights defenders and ensuring that its collaborations with defenders recognise them as important advocates for human rights rather than only as partners in the provision of services to the public. The State’s generous commitment to strengthening and supporting defenders of people on the move and Roma rights stands as a good practice, and in stark contrast to the deteriorating situation faced by such defenders in other States. Spain 1. National Context and Human Rights Defenders
Spain was included in the 2006 Global Survey. The Special Representative regretted that she had not received information from the State, nor did she have enough information from other sources to provide an assessment of the situation of human rights defenders at the time. Although the State has a legal and policy framework which guarantees many of the rights articulated in the Declaration, in recent years a growing number of restrictions have been imposed on defenders, both through law and State practice. Defenders have noted increasing difficulties in exercising their freedoms of assembly and expression. Defenders of the right to self-determination and Catalan rights, defenders dealing with politically sensitive issues, defenders of people on the move, and women human rights defenders are all vulnerable to greater harassment and restrictions on their activities. Defenders participating in public assemblies and journalists are also at risk of excessive use of force from police. Spain includes the autonomous regions of Galicia, Catalonia and the Basque Country, the latter two of which have seen strong independence movements emerge. In August 2017, terrorist attacks in Barcelona left 16 dead and more than 100 wounded in Barcelona in August 2017; the State had previously suffered coordinated bombings in 2005 leaving almost 200 people dead and around 2,000 people injured. These circumstances have deeply affected public attitudes and State policies and the situation of human rights defenders, particularly those active on issues or rights related to these circumstances. Spain is a member of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Council of Europe and the European Union. 2. Legal and Policy Framework
Spain is party to a majority of the core international human rights treaties, with the exception of the International Convention of the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. The State does not have a comprehensive law or policy concerning human rights defenders. Many of the rights outlined within the Declaration are enshrined within the Spanish Constitution. However, other laws can restrict the constitutional rights. For example, although the right to peaceful assembly is protected in broad terms under Article 21, the 2015 Basic Law for the Protection of Public Security significantly restricts when and where demonstrations can take place. The 2015 Basic Law broadly prohibits unannounced protests around “vital infrastructure�, demonstrations in clothing that masks the face and hinders 483