The High Court of Aragon (TSJA) dismissed the complaint of five former Catalan Ministers of Culture, who sought to bring Judge Rocío Pilar Vargas to criminal liability over the case of returning frescoes from the Sijena Monastery. The court found no evidence of criminal conduct in the judge’s actions, who had ordered the enforcement of a ruling to transfer the works of art.
Court’s arguments
In its decision, the TSJA noted that Rocío Vargas acted strictly within the law when she initiated compulsory enforcement of the court order due to the convicted parties’ voluntary non-compliance. The judges emphasized that her actions were in accordance with Articles 669 and subsequent provisions of the Civil Procedure Code, and that the procedure itself was entirely legitimate. The document specifically states that there are no grounds to consider her decision “unjust” or to qualify it as an official misconduct.
Who filed the complaint and for what reason
The complaint was filed by former Catalan Ministers of Culture Lluís Puig, Josep Maria Tresserras, Ferran Mascarell, Laura Borràs and Àngels Ponsa. They accused the judge and representatives of the Aragonese government and the municipality of Villanueva de Sijena of abuse of power and insisted that those initiating the enforcement should also be held responsible. The issue concerned the return of frescoes to the Sijena Monastery, as ordered by the Huesca court on July 4, 2016, and upheld by the Supreme Court of Spain on May 27, 2025.
Consequences for the complainants
The TSJA not only refused to initiate a criminal case, but also rejected the Siquena municipality’s counterclaim demanding proceedings against the former ministers for defamation and insults. However, the court noted possible abuse of procedural rights by the claimants. A separate procedure has been launched to investigate this: if bad faith is proven, the former ministers could face fines ranging from €180 to €6,000.
Context and Reaction
The court decision came into force on April 17. It can only be appealed within three days through a special appeal procedure in the same judicial body. The issue of returning cultural assets from Catalonia to Aragon has repeatedly sparked heated disputes between the regions. Similar conflicts between politicians and the judicial system have arisen before, for example, when accusations against former officials were considered in Madrid on suspicion of destroying compromising materials—more details can be found in the article on the Bárcenas case and attempts to destroy digital records.
