The CGPJ files the judge who sentenced Juana Rivas for messages she posted on her Facebook

He considers that it may be a "very serious" failure in the fulfillment of judicial duties

MADRID, 24 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ) has agreed to open a disciplinary file against the head of Criminal Court Number 1 of Granada, Judge Manuel Piñar --known for having sentenced Juana Rivas to five years in prison for child abduction- -, for messages he posted on his Facebook account.

Sources from the governing body of the judges have confirmed to Europa Press that judge Piñar has been prosecuted for a possible "very serious fault" of "inexcusable ignorance" in the fulfillment of judicial duties or a possible "serious fault" of "misconduct of consideration towards the citizens".

The sources consulted have specified that the CGPJ has adopted this measure despite the fact that the promoter of the disciplinary action had proposed to archive the file related to the Granada magistrate.

The case has reached the Council after the lawyer Carlos Aránguez, in charge of the defense of Juana Rivas, formalized a complaint before the body against Judge Piñar for the content that he disseminated on social networks and the media, understanding that they were " offensive" and constituted "clear insults to multiple groups", including "colleagues, different authorities and public officials".

In the aforementioned complaint, to which Europa Press has had, the lawyer explained that the magistrate's statements on social networks "far exceed the limits of freedom of expression, especially considering that they are uttered by an applicator of the Law", and demanded that the CGPJ initiate the corresponding disciplinary file" against him.

To justify his request, the lawyer stressed that "article 395 of the Organic Law of the Judiciary prohibits judges and magistrates from addressing powers, authorities and public officials or official corporations, congratulations or censure for their actions."

Among the publications that were included in the complaint were some that, according to Aránguez, were "censored by Facebook after being denounced, for their lack of veracity, or for directly inciting hatred or violence."

Sources consulted by Europa Press have specified that, after the complaint by Rivas's lawyer, the Facebook account in the name of Manuel Piñar no longer refers to him as "chief magistracy" nor is it public.