Six civil guards dismissed after refusing to continue journalist ideology dossier
Six civil guards from the Interior Ministry's communications team were terminated after they refused to keep working on a controversial dossier that classified journalists by alleged ideology.
In 2024, six civil guards were assigned to the Interior Ministry's communications unit to compile a dossier that identified and categorized journalists and commentators according to presumed political leanings. After developing the file for several weeks, the guards raised legal doubts and refused to continue the work. Their dismissal was communicated in late April and took effect in early May, as recorded in the official civil guard bulletin.
The termination coincided with the disappearance of the Office of Institutional and Social Relations, which had overseen the project. A Madrid court is reviewing a complaint filed by the party Iustitia Europa, seeking testimony from the former guards to clarify who ordered the dossier and its intended use. The controversy stems from a 54-page internal document that listed around 280 media professionals, detailing their careers, affiliations, and political positions.
Why it matters
The case raises questions about government surveillance of the press and the legal limits of state-run profiling.
In this story
