use capital punishment spain use capital punishment spain took place september members armed nationalist group political military members shot dead firing squads having convicted sentenced death military murder policemen civil guards spain western_europe dictatorship time unpopular internationally isolated post war period relations nazi_germany 1930s fact authoritarian spanish leader come power elected government result executions resulted substantial criticism spanish government domestically abroad reactions included street protests attacks spanish international criticism spanish government diplomatic measures withdrawal ambassadors european countries use death penalty spain following death months later executions took place spanish constitution largely abolished death penalty exception limited cases times war exceptions abolished commission found processes convict executed violated rights awarded compensation families background franco come power spanish civil war factions committed mass executions political opponents numerous historians including believe summary executions political opponents known deliberate policy contrast executions opponents lacked approval spanish government franco seeking overthrow death penalty abolished civil cases revived franco hostility spain post war period spain neutral world war franco sympathies remained axis powers considered entering war maintained good relations nazi_germany remained sympathetic led spain international community especially western european united_states immediate post war period europe wide popular demonstrations franco government occurred 1950s relations occurred cold war tensions escalated franco hostility communism reliable ally result reluctance government support measures franco government following fall authoritarian government portugal spanish government sole surviving dictatorship western_europe countries ruled socialist parties long franco coming power socialist democracy hostility use capital punishment widespread western_europe time western european countries ceased declining use death penalty spain people executed spanish civil war immediate aftermath people executed period time executions executed firing squad historically preferred execution method spain firing squads political military prisoners executions took place trials september sentenced members death following international pressure criticism franco death sentences new legislation reaction left wing violence government passed new anti terrorist law august terrorists carry penalty years imprisonment law established military empowered order executions found guilty terrorism state extended time suspects held interrogation days option days judicial approval response debated motion proposed condemning new law infringement human rights calling suspension relations spain trials sentencing new law rapidly enforced military tribunal took place august del members sentenced death killing civil guard april accused shooting helping flee police shot ended coma physical condition unable sign confession instead having place confession previously written implicated witnesses failed identify doctors testified fit state confession found guilty charges september near trial members took place despite attempts lawyers postponed lawyers interrupted prosecutor opening statement claiming wrong omitted key details believed clients receive fair trial negative press reports describing assassins result trial members received death penalty killing armed policeman madrid july activist illegal arrested jailed following student demonstration parents claimed portugal time killing main witnesses allowed attend trial prosecution sought death penalty accused mayoral received sentences years respectively lawyers sentenced death appealed sentences military tribunal september held sentenced members death involvement killing civil guard madrid august final tribunal took place barcelona september gave death penalty member killing armed policeman barcelona june september headed franco confirmed death penalty sentenced members members death penalty case remaining reactions sentences sentences provoked international criticism protests spanish government large demonstrations took place italy stockholm oslo swedish prime minister heading swedish demonstration dutch foreign minister formal protest spanish ambassador lisbon attacked set fire spanish embassy switzerland occupied hours protesters president mexico called spanish membership suspended vetoed considered internal spanish matter pope asked spanish government grant condemned sunday blessing condemned crimes condemned convicted franco brother joined calls appealing franco christianity group french intellectuals including actor film director journalist attempted organise press conference madrid read prepared statement condemning sentences detained police expelled spain executions executions took place september executed prison executed barcelona according brother led execution smiling singing anthem remaining executed members buried morning executed men families claimed denied access graves village graveyard police took place photographer witnessed said family members present police members military lawyers families previously alleged police assaulted mother condemned madrid final meeting son remains later madrid buried barcelona january reactions executions domestic reactions people took protest march larger demonstration saw people attendance people injured shot police demonstration mass madrid memorial executed followed protests arrests people took day general strike country began september international reactions demonstrations occurred spain embassy france spanish embassy brussels fire bombed day national demonstration organised dutch government protest led prime minister britain governing labour_party passed resolution condemning executions poland hungary withdrew commercial representatives spain european countries west_germany united_kingdom belgium netherlands france switzerland portugal austria sweden ireland italy withdrew ambassadors spain protest response spain withdrew ambassadors norway vatican west_germany netherlands ambassador portugal withdrawn protest embassy attack spain central bank suspended trade portuguese swedish prime minister denounced franco government murderers united_nations swedish government attempted pass declaration condemning spanish government government amended general declaration condemning human rights violations specific reference spain reaction spain spanish press controlled spanish government supportive executions condemned crimes executed argued death strong state service truly free society necessary seek peace abc criticised foreign security forces failing defend spanish property abroad attacks identified extreme left stated hoped spanish people desire internal peace respected western european governments october demonstration support government took place madrid spanish claiming million people taken franco addressed crowds denounced leftist conspiracy assisting communist spain demonstration franco attended death aftermath immediate aftermath executions speculation prisoners face death penalty ultimately predictions proved ill founded franco fell ill late october recovered dying november death resulted facto abolition death penalty executions took place capital punishment abolished civil crimes spanish constitution sanctioned military executions war time sole exceptions spanish parliament abolished death penalty circumstances families executed continued seek sentences compensation based processes convict relatives appealed rejected application grounds power deal cases prior december constitution came effect september rejected petition similar grounds spain november commission found processes convict violated right fair trial awarded compensation families sister continued campaign brother stating wanted clear financial compensation november spanish police refused request terms treaty involved executions crimes humanity
Last use of capital punishment in Spain