Spain Arrests Pedophile Moroccan Children, After King Revocation of Pardon

August 6, 2013

A Spanish paedophile, whose release from prison in Morocco under a royal pardon sparked angry protests, was arrested in Spain on Monday. Meanwhile, Morocco’s director of prisons has been sacked after an inquiry blamed his department for the release.

By Claire Debuyser / Olivia SALAZAR WINSPEAR (video)
FRANCE 24

Morocco’s king revokes paedophile pardon

Morocco’s King Mohamed VI has revoked a royal pardon granted to a convicted Spanish paedophile whose release from prison sparked angry protests in the kingdom, a palace statement said on Sunday.

Spain arrests paedophile freed by Morocco

By Claire Debuyser / Olivia SALAZAR WINSPEAR

(video) FRANCE 24 (text), August 6, 2013

A convicted Spanish paedophile set free from prison in Morocco under a royal pardon has been arrested by police in Spain.

Daniel Galvan Vina was detained in Murcia in south-eastern Spain on Monday, a spokesman for the country’s interior ministry said.

Galvan, who once worked at the University of Murcia, will be taken to Madrid "in the coming hours" where he will be brought before Spain's top criminal court, the National Audience, which will decide his fate, the spokesman added.

The news came as King Mohamed VI of Morocco announced that the country’s director of prisons has been sacked after an inquiry blamed his department for Galvan’s release.

Galvan, said to be in his 60s, was pardoned by the king and freed last Tuesday from a jail in Kenitra, north of the capital Rabat.

He had been sentenced in September 2011 to 30 years in prison for the rape of 11 children aged between four and 15.

Public protests

The release sparked a mass protest in Rabat Friday that was broken up by riot police and led to several reported injuries to demonstrators and journalists.

Growing public outrage prompted King Mohamed VI to revoke the royal pardon for Galvan on Sunday, while the palace said in a statement that the king had been unaware of the nature of the man's crimes and that an inquiry into his release had been ordered.

The results of that inquiry led to the dismissal of the head of the prison system in Morocco, whose department was accused of providing false information over Galvan’s criminal record.

"The inquiry focused on determining the culpabilities and failings that led to this release," a palace statement said.

"The inquiry concluded that the said administration inadvertently provided erroneous information about the criminal record of the prisoner in question when requested by the royal court.”

Galvan was among 48 Spanish prisoners pardoned by the king in response to a request from King Juan Carlos, who visited Morocco last month.

(FRANCE 24 with wires)

Morocco’s king revokes paedophile pardon

By News Wires (text), August 6, 2013

King Mohamed VI of Morocco on Sunday revoked a pardon granted to a Spanish serial paedophile whose release sparked angry protests in the kingdom, a palace statement said.

The king "has decided to withdraw the pardon previously accorded to Daniel Galvan Vina", said the text of the statement, published by the official MAP news agency.

Although several media reports have said Vina has left the country, the agency said the justice minister would discuss with Madrid "the next step after the pardon's revocation".

The king's announcement came shortly before a large demonstration was due to take place against the pardon, after baton-wielding police dispersed demonstrations on Friday.

Vina, said to be in his 60s, was pardoned by the king and freed last Tuesday from jail in Kenitra, north of the capital. He had been sentenced in September 2011 to 30 years in prison.

Vina, convicted of raping 11 children aged between four and 15, was among 48 Spanish prisoners released in response to a request from Spanish King Juan Carlos, who visited Morocco in mid-July, the justice ministry said.

Earlier, the palace said in a statement carried on MAP that the king had been unaware of the nature of the man's crimes and had ordered a probe into his release.

The investigation should "determine the responsibilities and the failures that led to this regrettable release", the statement said.

"The king was never informed – in any way or at any time – of the seriousness of the abject crimes of which the person concerned was convicted," the palace added.

"It is clear that the sovereign would never have consented" to his release, given the "monstrous crimes" he committed, the statement concluded.

(AFP)

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