Article 13 Spanish Criminal Procedure Act: first steps in the investigation

Article 13 of the Spanish Criminal Procedure Act lists the first steps of the criminal process: recording evidence that may disappear, taking into custody whatever helps establish the offence, arresting suspects where appropriate and protecting victims, with referral to the protective measures of Articles 544 bis and 544 ter. In internet offences it allows provisional removal and blocking of content.

Wording of Article 13 of the Spanish Criminal Procedure Act

The first steps are deemed to be: recording the evidence of the offence that may disappear; collecting and placing in custody whatever contributes to its verification and to identifying the offender; arresting, where appropriate, the persons presumed responsible for the offence; and protecting the persons offended or harmed by it, their relatives or other persons, or preventing further offending, for which purpose the precautionary measures referred to in Article 544 bis or the protection order provided for in Article 544 ter of this Act may be adopted.

In the investigation of offences committed through the internet, the telephone or any other information or communication technology, the court may adopt as first steps, of its own motion or upon application by a party, measures consisting in the provisional removal of unlawful content, the provisional interruption of the services offering such content, or the provisional blocking of both where located abroad.

Working translation prepared by Société Juridique from the consolidated Spanish text published by the Official State Gazette. It has no official status: the only authoritative version is the Spanish original, available at the Official State Gazette and reproduced verbatim in our Spanish-language entry for this provision. Source: Royal Decree of 14 September 1882 approving the Spanish Criminal Procedure Act.

Effect. The provision imposes no penalty: it enables urgent evidence-preservation, arrest and victim-protection measures, and provisional removal or blocking of online content.

Content of the first steps

Recording evidence at risk of disappearing and safekeeping whatever helps establish the offence.
Arresting the presumed offenders where appropriate.
Protecting victims, relatives or others, by reference to Article 544 bis and the Article 544 ter protection order.
In technology-related offences, provisional removal of content, interruption of services or blocking where hosted abroad.

Defence strategy

Testing real urgency. First steps rest on the risk of disappearance or immediate protection; invasive measures adopted without proven urgency under this heading can be challenged.

Auditing the chain of custody. What is seized in the first moments conditions the whole case: documentation of collection, sealing and deposit is the defence’s first line of review.

Fighting disproportionate blocking. Provisional removal or blocking must be proportionate and provisional; indefinite maintenance without judicial review is appealable.

Reviewing any arrest. Arrest as a first step remains subject to the general requirements of Articles 489 and following; routine use without risk or necessity grounds habeas corpus.

Are you under investigation or facing charges in Spain? Société Juridique acts for foreign nationals throughout Spain, with offices in Alicante and Madrid and a 24-hour custody line. +34 669 30 21 13 or enquire online.

This entry is provided for information only and does not constitute legal advice. The application of any provision depends on the circumstances of the individual case and requires examination of the case file by a qualified lawyer.

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