https://alonsosala.com/en/blog Criminal law blog: guides, case-law analysis and legal news by Alonso Sala criminal defense lawyers in Madrid. en Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/favicon.png https://alonsosala.com https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/illegal-weapons-possession-article-564-defense https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/illegal-weapons-possession-article-564-defense Holding a firearm without a license or permit is a crime (Art. 564 Penal Code). Common scenarios, the stockpiling offense (Art. 566) and defense. Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/misappropriation-article-253-penal-code https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/misappropriation-article-253-penal-code Keeping money or goods received with a duty to return them is a crime (Art. 253 Penal Code). Penalties, differences with fraud and defense. Sun, 31 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/slander-insults-social-media-defense https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/slander-insults-social-media-defense Posting a false accusation or a serious insult online can be a crime. The difference between slander and insult, penalties and defense strategy. Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/environmental-crime-article-325-penal-code https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/environmental-crime-article-325-penal-code Article 325 of the Penal Code punishes emissions and discharges capable of seriously harming the natural balance. It is an endangerment offense. Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/military-criminal-law-offenses-jurisdiction https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/military-criminal-law-offenses-jurisdiction The Military Penal Code (Organic Law 14/2015) defines offenses specific to the Armed Forces, tried by a specialized jurisdiction. Defense keys. Thu, 28 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/sports-criminal-law-match-fixing-doping-violence https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/sports-criminal-law-match-fixing-doping-violence Professional sport has its own criminal boundary: match-fixing, doping and violence in stadiums. Offenses, penalties and defense. Tue, 26 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/criminal-defense-high-profile-individuals https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/criminal-defense-high-profile-individuals When the suspect is an executive, athlete or public figure, the reputational risk runs alongside the criminal one. How the defense is coordinated. Sun, 24 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/asset-confiscation-drug-trafficking-spain https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/asset-confiscation-drug-trafficking-spain The confiscation of assets and proceeds in drug trafficking offences in Spain: extended confiscation, confiscation of third-party assets and how the lawful… Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/autonomous-ai-agents-criminal-liability-spain https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/autonomous-ai-agents-criminal-liability-spain When an autonomous AI agent causes harm or carries out criminal acts, who is liable? The principle of culpability and the attribution of liability to… Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/ceo-fraud-business-email-compromise-spain https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/ceo-fraud-business-email-compromise-spain CEO fraud or business email compromise: what it is, how it is classified as fraud under Spanish criminal law, which other offences concur and how the… Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/chain-of-custody-criminal-evidence-spain https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/chain-of-custody-criminal-evidence-spain What the chain of custody is, why it guarantees the reliability of evidence, the effects of breaking it and how it is challenged in drug, DNA or weapons cases. Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/civil-liability-arising-from-crime-spain https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/civil-liability-arising-from-crime-spain Civil liability arising from a crime in Spain: what it covers (restitution, repair and compensation), who is liable and why it is claimed within the… Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/compensation-violent-crime-victims-spain https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/compensation-violent-crime-victims-spain How victims of violent crime are compensated in Spain: civil liability in the judgment, public aid where the convicted person is insolvent and the guideline… Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/confrontation-evidence-criminal-procedure-spain https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/confrontation-evidence-criminal-procedure-spain Confrontation in criminal proceedings in Spain: what it is, its exceptional and subsidiary nature, when it does not apply and its evidential value. Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/electronic-tag-restraining-order-breach-spain https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/electronic-tag-restraining-order-breach-spain How the anti-abuse electronic tag or telematic monitoring device works in Spain, what happens if it is breached or tampered with and how a breach due to a… Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/first-grade-prison-classification-appeal https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/first-grade-prison-classification-appeal First-grade prison classification or closed regime in Spain: when it applies, its exceptional nature, the periodic reviews and how to appeal it before the… Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/parole-conditional-release-spain-2026 https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/parole-conditional-release-spain-2026 Parole as a modality of suspending the rest of the sentence in Spain: ordinary requirements (3/4 of the sentence), advanced and qualified modalities and… Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/pig-butchering-crypto-romance-scam-spain https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/pig-butchering-crypto-romance-scam-spain Pig butchering: the scam that combines a fictitious emotional relationship with a fake cryptocurrency investment. Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/preliminary-objections-criminal-trial-spain https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/preliminary-objections-criminal-trial-spain Preliminary objections at the start of a criminal trial in Spain: what the parties can raise, why they are a key moment for the defence and how they are… Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/prison-benefits-sentence-reduction-spain https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/prison-benefits-sentence-reduction-spain What prison benefits are, why the old sentence-reduction-through-work system no longer applies to current sentences and which mechanisms can shorten… Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/prison-leave-permits-spain https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/prison-leave-permits-spain Ordinary and extraordinary prison leave permits in Spain: requirements, days available per year, how they are processed and what to do if they are refused. Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/prison-visits-inmate-communication-rights https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/prison-visits-inmate-communication-rights An inmate's communications in prison: oral, written and telephone communications, intimate, family and cohabitation visits, and the reinforced protection of… Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/private-corruption-business-spain https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/private-corruption-business-spain The offence of corruption in business or private corruption under Art. 286 bis of the Spanish Criminal Code: which conduct it punishes, the penalties and… Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/private-prosecution-spain-how-to-join https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/private-prosecution-spain-how-to-join How to join criminal proceedings as a private prosecutor in Spain: what it is, what it allows you to do, the deadline to join and why you should not leave… Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/protected-witness-criminal-proceedings-spain https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/protected-witness-criminal-proceedings-spain What a protected witness is, the protection measures the law allows, the tension with the right of defence and how the testimony is countered. Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/real-estate-harassment-tenants-spain https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/real-estate-harassment-tenants-spain Real estate harassment in Spain: the conduct aimed at forcing a tenant or owner out of their home, its classification as aggravated coercion and how to act. Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/reckless-driving-offence-spain https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/reckless-driving-offence-spain The offence of reckless driving under Art. 380 of the Spanish Criminal Code: what manifest recklessness is, when it is presumed, the penalties and the… Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/recover-driving-licence-points-spain https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/recover-driving-licence-points-spain How driving licence points are recovered in Spain: through the passage of time or courses, what happens when all points are lost and where the line with the… Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/sim-swapping-identity-fraud-spain https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/sim-swapping-identity-fraud-spain SIM swapping: how fraudsters obtain a duplicate of your SIM card to empty bank accounts, which offences it involves and the possible liability of the… Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/swatting-false-emergency-report-spain https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/swatting-false-emergency-report-spain Swatting: provoking a police response with a false emergency. How it is classified under Spanish criminal law as false crime reporting and false accusation… Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/third-grade-prison-classification-spain https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/third-grade-prison-classification-spain Third-grade prison classification or semi-liberty regime in Spain: what it is, the requirements, who decides it and how to appeal a refusal before the… Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/undue-delay-mitigating-factor-spain https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/undue-delay-mitigating-factor-spain The mitigating factor of undue delay under Article 21.6 of the Criminal Code: requirements, the difference between the simple and the highly qualified… Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/unlawful-evidence-fruit-poisonous-tree-spain https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/unlawful-evidence-fruit-poisonous-tree-spain Unlawful evidence and the fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine in Spain: what Article 11.1 of the Judiciary Act says, which evidence is tainted and the… Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/victim-rights-criminal-proceedings-spain https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/victim-rights-criminal-proceedings-spain The Spanish Crime Victim Statute: the rights to information, protection and participation, the Victim Assistance Offices and the right to appeal a dismissal. Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/article-147-penal-code-bodily-harm https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/article-147-penal-code-bodily-harm Article 147 of the Spanish Criminal Code: what the offence of bodily harm is, the line between first aid and medical treatment, the aggravated types (Arts. Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/article-169-penal-code-threats https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/article-169-penal-code-threats Article 169 of the Spanish Criminal Code: what the offence of threats is, the difference between conditional and unconditional threats, the requirements of… Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/article-172-penal-code-coercion https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/article-172-penal-code-coercion Article 172 of the Spanish Criminal Code: what the offence of coercion is, the requirement of violence, the difference from threats, real-estate harassment… Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/article-197-penal-code-disclosure-secrets https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/article-197-penal-code-disclosure-secrets Article 197 of the Spanish Criminal Code: the offence of discovery and disclosure of secrets, access to another's messages and data, the sharing of intimate… Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/article-248-penal-code-fraud https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/article-248-penal-code-fraud Article 248 of the Spanish Criminal Code: what fraud is, the requirement of sufficient deceit, computer fraud (248.2) and the penalties (minor offence… Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/article-250-penal-code-aggravated-fraud https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/article-250-penal-code-aggravated-fraud Article 250 of the Spanish Criminal Code: the grounds for aggravated fraud (housing, special gravity, value above 50,000 euros, abuse of personal… Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/article-252-penal-code-unfair-administration https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/article-252-penal-code-unfair-administration Article 252 of the Spanish Criminal Code: what unfair administration is, how it differs from misappropriation, who can commit it and the penalties, referred… Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/article-253-penal-code-misappropriation https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/article-253-penal-code-misappropriation Article 253 of the Spanish Criminal Code: what misappropriation is, the title that creates a duty to return, how it differs from theft and fraud, and the… Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/article-263-penal-code-criminal-damage https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/article-263-penal-code-criminal-damage Article 263 of the Spanish Criminal Code: what the offence of criminal damage is, the minor-offence threshold of 400 euros, the aggravated types of 263.2… Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/article-301-penal-code-money-laundering https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/article-301-penal-code-money-laundering Article 301 of the Spanish Criminal Code: what money laundering is, self-laundering, laundering by gross negligence and the penalties, from 6 months to 6… Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/article-390-penal-code-document-forgery https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/article-390-penal-code-document-forgery Article 390 of the Spanish Criminal Code: the forms of document forgery, the difference between forgery by a public official and by a private individual (Art. Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/article-404-penal-code-malfeasance https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/article-404-penal-code-malfeasance Article 404 of the Spanish Criminal Code: what administrative malfeasance is, what an arbitrary decision means, why it carries only disqualification and how… Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/article-419-penal-code-bribery https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/article-419-penal-code-bribery Article 419 of the Spanish Criminal Code: what bribery is, the difference between improper and proper bribery, active bribery by a private individual and… Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/articles-237-242-penal-code-robbery https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/articles-237-242-penal-code-robbery Articles 237 and 242 of the Spanish Criminal Code: what robbery is, the difference between force on things and violence or intimidation, robbery in an… Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/interpol-red-notice-what-to-do https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/interpol-red-notice-what-to-do An Interpol red notice can trigger arrest in any country. We explain what it is, what happens in Spain and how to request its removal before the CCF. Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/vicarious-violence-spain-legal-framework https://alonsosala.com/en/blog/vicarious-violence-spain-legal-framework Vicarious violence is violence exerted against children or other loved ones to harm the woman. Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT