The Barcelona Prosecutor's Office is requesting a seasonal prosecutor for the summer months due to the increase in arrests by the Mossos and Guardia Urbana. In 2025, 7,746 urgent proceedings were recorded, with peaks of over 24 per day.
The Barcelona Prosecutor's Office has requested additional personnel for the summer months. The 2025 report, directed by Neus Pujal, indicates that the volume of arrests made by the Mossos d'Esquadra and the Guardia Urbana in the city overwhelms the on-duty prosecutors. The specific request is for the creation of a seasonal prosecutor for July, August, and September, coinciding with the massive influx of tourists. Despite the urgency, this summer the requested reinforcement has not been implemented, as confirmed by the spokesperson for the Prosecutor's Office.
The data collected in the report reflect a notable increase in activity. During 2025, prosecutors from the three on-duty courts for detainees in Barcelona processed a total of 7,746 urgent proceedings. The monthly distribution shows a clear seasonality: in January, 521 were recorded, while in July it surged to 822 and remained at 802 in August.
The deputy prosecutor describes it as an "excessive number" to exceed 24 urgent proceedings in a single day, a situation that occurred on 23 days in July, 19 in August, and 14 in September. In January, this threshold was only reached on three days, and in June on ten. This workload, according to the report, "alarmed and fatigued" the on-duty prosecutors.
"The 2.4% increase in urgent proceedings with qualification indicates a rise in crime rates, greater resolution and police effectiveness, a higher number of arrests, and consequently, a heavier workload for prosecutors on duty"
The majority of classified crimes are robberies with violence and intimidation, followed by thefts and driving under the influence of alcohol. The Prosecutor's Office warns that this volume leads to an increase in the timelines for holding fast-track trials, which currently range between 13 and 15 months due to pending cases from previous years.
To alleviate the situation, the Department of Justice and the High Court of Justice of Catalonia (TSJC), with the approval of the Ministry of Justice, have approved an emergency plan that includes extending measures to reinforce the courts against repeat offenses. Professionals have been provided to hold fast-track trials for less serious crimes (up to five years in prison) and immediate trials for minor offenses, which are already being held within ten days.
Barcelona is the only judicial district in the province with daily 24-hour shifts and three detention courts, in addition to those specialized in gender violence. The other 24 judicial districts in the province operate with weekly shifts and, according to the report, do not suffer the same congestion. The Prosecutor's Office considers it "necessary and inescapable" to create one or more criminal court sections for the rapid prosecution of urgent proceedings.
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