Spanish prosecutors drop complaint against Julio Iglesias

The Julio Iglesias case dropped headline has landed with force in Spain’s media — but the key detail is procedural. Prosecutors at the Audiencia Nacional have archived the complaint, saying Spanish courts do not have jurisdiction to investigate alleged offences said to have taken place outside Spain.

The complaint was filed this month by Women’s Link Worldwide, acting for two women who worked for the singer in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas. Prosecutors concluded that, under Spain’s rules on extraterritorial jurisdiction, the legal conditions required to pursue an investigation in Spain are not met.

Why Spain says it cannot investigate

In plain terms, Spain’s prosecutors say the alleged events happened abroad, and the case does not meet the strict tests that allow Spanish courts to step in. The decision is framed around competence and territoriality, not around proving or disproving the allegations.

Spanish reports on the decision also note that the countries where the alleged incidents occurred would generally be the jurisdictions expected to investigate, because that is where evidence and witnesses are likely to be located.

What Women’s Link and the complainants are saying now

Women’s Link has argued that the case should not end with a jurisdictional obstacle and has signalled that it is exploring further legal steps. In Spanish coverage, lawyers involved have said the complainants intend to keep “fighting for justice”, and have criticised the speed of the decision-making.

There is also uncertainty about whether Spanish prosecutors will send the file to prosecutors in the Dominican Republic, according to reporting on the next possible moves.

Iglesias denies wrongdoing

Iglesias has denied the allegations, describing them as false in statements reported by international outlets covering the decision.

What this decision does — and does not — mean

Does it clear him?

No. An archiving decision on jurisdiction grounds is not the same as a ruling on facts.

Could the case continue elsewhere?

Potentially, yes. The path that remains most obvious is legal action in the places where the alleged events are said to have occurred, although it is unclear what steps will be taken next.

Could there be more action in Spain?

Some Spanish reporting suggests legal teams may still attempt additional routes within the Audiencia Nacional system, even after the prosecutor’s decision, though success would likely depend on establishing a stronger legal link to Spain under existing doctrine.

The wider context

The case has revived a familiar tension in European justice: how far a country should go in pursuing alleged crimes committed abroad, particularly when victims are vulnerable workers, and the alleged conduct involves gender-based violence. Spain has expanded some legal tools over the years, but prosecutors and courts still apply strict limits when the territorial and personal connections to Spain are weak.

Where this leaves the story

For now, the legal story in Spain is paused at the border. The next chapter, if there is one, is likely to depend on whether prosecutors in the Dominican Republic or the Bahamas decide to take an interest — and whether the complainants’ legal team pursues the alternative options they have signalled.

Sources:

RTVE, AP News, Women’s Link Worldwide