MEPs call for dignified treatment and respect for rights of Spanish prisoners in Equatorial Guinea

The House adopted a resolution on the situation of Javier Marañón Montero and David Rodríguez Ballesta, Spanish nationals arrested in Equatorial Guinea last January in connection with a failed digital terrestrial television project, who in April were transferred to Playa Negra prison, known for its subhuman conditions and systematic human rights violations.

MEPs are concerned about serious human rights violations in the country, including torture and subhuman prison conditions, as well as continued persecution of political opposition and severe restrictions on freedom of expression. They also warn of the subordination of the judiciary to the Obiang regime.

Parliament denounces the arbitrary detention of the two Spanish citizens and the unacceptable conditions in which they have been held since then. It calls on the authorities to take immediate and unconditional measures, such as the lifting of pre-trial detention, to ensure their well-being and respect for their rights, in particular the right to a fair trial, as well as to legal counsel and medical care. Marañón Montero, who is on hunger strike, must receive urgent treatment, the text stresses.

The Commission and the European External Action Service should step up diplomatic efforts, in close coordination with the Spanish authorities, in relation to these cases, says the EP. It also points out that arbitrary arrests and detention can have negative effects on Equatorial Guinea’s relations with the EU, as well as damaging its reputation and deterring international investment and cooperation.

The resolution was adopted by show of hands. For the text as adopted, see (9.10.2025).

Further information: European Parliament