n 30 June 2025, the Audiencia Nacional, the Spanish court entrusted with jurisdiction over international crimes committed abroad, reopened the pre-trial investigation into international crimes allegedly committed by a Spanish national during the civil war that ravaged Sierra Leone from 1991 to 2002.
The suspect, Manuel Terrén Parcerisas, is alleged to have participated in the illegal trade of blood diamonds that helped finance the war as well as to have aided and abetted offenses committed by members of the Sierra Leonean rebel group Revolutionary United Front.
The investigation had been suspended in January 2025 in order for the Criminal Chamber of the Audiencia Nacional to assess whether the alleged offenses were time-barred from prosecution, as contended by both the Defense and the Prosecutor. In a decision issued on 16 June 2025, the Criminal Chamber concluded that there was not enough evidence at this stage of the proceedings to decide on the issue of prescription and that further investigative measures would be required before a decision on the statute of limitations can be made. Following this decision, the same Chamber confirmed, on 30 June, the continuation of the investigation.
Civitas Maxima welcomes this decision and will keep supporting the investigative efforts conducted by the Spanish judicial authorities and by the Comisaría General de Información, a specialized division of the Spanish National Police responsible for counter-terrorism and complex international crime investigations.
Read their full press release below.
