Spanish Judge, Adolfo Carretero Investigated Over Conduct In Sexual Assault Case
A Spanish judge, Adolfo Carretero, is under investigation following widespread backlash over his handling of a sexual assault hearing involving actress and television presenter Elisa Mouliaa. The General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ), Spain’s legal oversight body, announced the probe on Wednesday after receiving over 900 complaints about the judge’s conduct.
The controversy erupted after a video from a January 16 hearing was made public on Monday. The footage shows Judge Carretero questioning Mouliaa, who accused former lawmaker Íñigo Errejón, of the far-left party Sumar, of sexually assaulting her in September 2021.
In the video, Carretero repeatedly pressed Mouliaa about her motives, suggesting she might have fabricated the allegations due to a personal or professional grudge against Errejón. He also questioned how she, as a public figure, could have misjudged the situation, drawing widespread condemnation for his tone and line of questioning.
Members of Spain’s coalition government criticized the judge’s handling of the case. Education Minister Pilar Alegría said she “felt hurt as a woman” by the video, while Justice Minister Félix Bolaños stressed that judges must approach sensitive cases like this with greater care and understanding.
The allegations against Errejón gained further attention after he stepped down from his parliamentary role in October, citing unspecified “mistakes.” Mouliaa subsequently filed a police report accusing him of sexual assault.
The incident has added to public scrutiny of Spain’s judicial system and the government’s efforts to uphold its commitment to gender equality and combat sexual violence.
