In brief
Julio Iglesias, the iconic Spanish singer, has been cleared of sexual assault allegations after Spanish prosecutors dropped the investigation, citing a lack of jurisdiction over crimes committed outside the country involving non-residents. The allegations were made by two former employees who claimed abuse occurred while they worked for Iglesias in the Bahamas and Dominican Republic. Iglesias has strongly denied the accusations, which advocacy groups categorized as serious. The investigation's dismissal highlights complexities in international law and jurisdiction in handling such sensitive cases.
Spanish prosecutors have dropped an investigation into complaints of sexual abuse against the singer Julio Iglesias.
They ruled that Spanish courts had no jurisdiction and were therefore not competent to investigate crimes committed abroad involving complainants who were not Spanish citizens or residents and who had never travelled to Spain with the star.
Two female former employees had alleged that the 82-year-old Spanish superstar 'normalised abuse' in a coercive, threatening and violent environment while they were working at his properties in the Bahamas and Dominican Republic in 2021.
Iglesias has vigorously denied the allegations, which were first reported last week.
On 5 January, the women filed a legal complaint for sexual assault and human trafficking with the national court, which investigates crimes allegedly committed beyond Spain's borders.
Advocacy groups Women's Link Worldwide and Amnesty International said the acts alleged in the complaint could be considered 'a crime of human trafficking for the purpose of forced labour' and 'crimes against sexual freedom'.
Women's Link Worldwide described the complainants as young Latin American women 'in vulnerable situations who were heavily dependent on their wages due to their economic and social conditions'.
It said the complaint was submitted in Spain because the country has legislation to protect women from gender-based violence and trafficking.
But prosecutors said the fact that the complainants were not Spanish citizens or residents meant that the legal principle of universal jurisdiction could not be applied.
They also argued that the states where the alleged crimes took place - the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas - had 'clear and effective competence' to investigate the allegations themselves.
Iglesias has responded to the accusations with a post on Instagram (in Spanish), in which he said: 'I deny having abused, coerced, or disrespected any woman. These accusations are absolutely false and deeply sadden me.'
Several friends of the singer have also fiercely denied that he could be capable of such behaviour.
Iglesias is one of the most successful Latin artists of all time, having sold more than 300 million records in a career spanning decades.
He is also the father of fellow music superstar Enrique Iglesias.
