Accusation against Spanish journalist detained in Poland is ‘very serious’

Foreign Minister Albares says Poland has made ‘very serious’ accusations against detained Spanish journalist

Jose Manuel Albares, Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, confirmed this Wednesday, March 23, that the accusation of spying for Russia against Pablo Gonzalez, the Spanish journalist detained in Poland, is “very serious”. His fate will be decided by the courts of that country he said.

This was the response given to Jon Iñarritu, the EH Bildu deputy who had asked the Foreign Minister what was happening with Gonzalez. He denounced that his family and his lawyer have not been able to contact him for 24 days.

This Wednesday Alabares was informed that Gonzalez will be held in provisional prison until April 29. Iñárritu has asked the Government to denounce “what the Prosecutor’s Office is doing in Poland”, claiming it is “a real scandal”, and something he considers to be an “irregular” action.

Authorities in Poland’s Rzeszow Regional Court have allegedly identified Pablo Gonzalez as using the alias ‘Pavel Rubtsov’. This name however is his birth identity as he was born in Moscow in the former USSR to a Russian father and a Spanish mother-

In 1991, when he moved to Spain, Gonzalez regularised his nationality and opted for the Castilian name of Pablo and his maternal surnames. These data have been verified by the newspaper publico.es.

Alabares though has refused to criticise Poland and has limited himself to pointing out that Gonzalez has received all the attention possible by the consulate there since he was detained. He also indicated that the journalist received a consular visit, and that the consul is in contact via email with his private lawyer and his family.