A political group is urging a Madrid court to urgently secure digital records tied to a secret Interior Ministry list of journalists. The goal: stop evidence from disappearing and find out who ordered and handled the dossier.
Madrid’s Tribunal de Instancia number 16 is under new pressure. Iustitia Europa has filed an urgent request. The group wants the court to lock down every digital trace linked to a secret Interior Ministry dossier that listed journalists and media contacts. They are not waiting. Their petition demands the court secure every version, edit log, access record, and related message before anything can be lost or changed.
The fight centers on a file called “Tertulianos. Radio y Televisión.” Reports say it was put together inside the ministry led by Fernando Grande-Marlaska. The dossier holds profiles of journalists. It lists their professional details and rates their political views and attitudes toward the government. Several independent sources confirm the file included 281 profiles of 280 people, with photos, work histories, and notes on their relationship to the government. Iustitia Europa’s legal filing says the court must freeze all digital evidence. They also want to know who ordered, wrote, reviewed, and accessed the file—and why.
The Interior Ministry has officially acknowledged the origin of the file and issued a public apology, stating it was an internal consultation document with no intent to restrict journalists' work.
Iustitia Europa is not stopping at preservation. They want a full forensic analysis of the original file and all its versions. The group aims to rebuild the timeline, name every author and editor, and track every account and system involved. The court has not yet accepted the complaint. It is waiting for a report from the Fiscalía. Still, Iustitia Europa is pushing to block any digital cover-up. Spanish media report the case has already moved to a formal stage. The presiding judge has said the case is about who was responsible for the "preparation, processing, storage, and possible use" of the document. Next steps depend on the prosecutor’s report.
The investigation has a new twist. Iustitia Europa has filed two resolutions from the Boletín Oficial de la Guardia Civil. The first shows the ORIS–Ministerio del Interior unit, part of the Communication Office, was officially dissolved on May 1, 2025. The second names the six Guardia Civil officers who worked in that unit when it closed. Iustitia Europa now wants these officers to testify. They want answers about how the document was made, what orders were given, who was in charge, and who received or used the dossier. Independent reports say Iustitia Europa is asking for these six to appear as witnesses to explain who gave the order, who edited the file, and how it was used.
A source tied to the unit has told the court that some members knew about the dossier’s handling. Some may have even objected to certain actions. This testimony could be key. It may show if officers were pressured or removed for refusing to take part in actions that break democratic standards.
The Agencia Española de Protección de Datos has launched its own investigation into the case, while several regional and national parliaments, as well as civil society organizations, have publicly condemned the practice of compiling journalist lists with ideological assessments, highlighting the risks to press freedom.
"As a former Guardia Civil and defender of press freedom, if officers were removed for refusing to take part in improper practices, we will pursue this to the end. And if ideological profiles of journalists were compiled by the Interior Ministry, someone must be held accountable," said Luis María Pardo, president of Iustitia Europa.
This case taps into bigger worries about transparency and accountability in Spanish institutions. Recent events in Madrid, like the housing standoff in Puerta del Sol, have shown the public’s demand for honest government and protection of basic rights.
But this case is different. The focus is on digital evidence—tracking every edit, access, and message tied to the dossier. The court’s next move will test its resolve. Spanish authorities will have to face tough questions about surveillance, press freedom, and state power. Iustitia Europa’s demands are clear and urgent. If the court acts fast, it could set a new standard for handling sensitive digital records in political scandals. If not, the risk of lost evidence and impunity will only grow.
