Spanish Gov't Says Lockdown Saved Many Lives After Court Rules Measure Unconstitutional

MADRID (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th July, 2021) The Spanish government said that the strict stay-at-home lockdown imposed during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic last year has saved many lives after the top court ruled the measure unconstitutional.

On Wednesday, the Constitutional Court ruled that the quarantine measures introduced by the government under the COVID-19 state of emergency violated Spain's main law. According to the judges, the right to movement could only be restricted, but not completely banned.

"The government would like to note that it respects, but does not agree with the [court's] decision on the VOX party's lawsuit, since the lockdown has saved hundreds of thousands of lives," Justice Minister Pilar Llop said.

The government would thoroughly analyze the verdict, as it believes that the COVID-19 measures were imposed in line with constitutional norms, she added.

"Spain, like many other neighboring countries, was going through a period of the worst epidemiological crisis in recent history, and the government, in the face of an epidemic, decided to adopt a decree on the state of emergency," the minister noted.

Spain introduced the high alert regime on March 14, 2020, which lasted until June 21 of that year.