COVID-19 home confinement is unconstitutional, rules Spanish court

Spain's ConstitutionalCourtruled on Wednesday that stricthomeconfinementincluded in a national state of emergency to curb the first wave ofCOVID-19infections last year wasunconstitutional.

Introduced last March, the state of emergency allowed the government to temporarily limit civil liberties, confining almost all Spaniards to theirhomes and shutting down all but essential industries.

The ConstitutionalCourtsaid in a statement it had annulled by a simple majority some articles of the state of emergency decree related to the free movement of citizens. The complete ruling will be released in a few days.

By voiding the emergency decree, the ruling opens the door to the cancellation of fines for breaching lockdown restrictions imposed during the period.

Thecourt's decision comes in response to a petition filed by far-right party Vox, which argued the measures were overly harsh and constituted a suspension rather than a limitation of civil liberties.

Vox argued the restrictions required the passing of a "state of exception," which is one rung above a state of emergency and requires parliamentary approval rather than just a green light from the cabinet.

On Wednesday evening, Spain's Justice Minister Pilar Llop said that the government respected the criteria of the six judges of the ConstitutionalCourtwho ruled against theconfinementbut added that measures adopted were defended by five other judges of thiscourt.

"Theconfinementmeasures had saved several hundred thousands of lives," Llop said.

During a deadly first wave of infection, Spain imposed one of the strictest lockdowns in Europe, only allowing people to leave theirhomes to go to work, buy food or visit a pharmacy or hospital.