Cristina said goodbye to her son at the departure terminal of the airport in July 2015. It was the last time she saw him as a free man. A few hours later, he was arrested in Qatar on drug trafficking charges. In the Arab country, this crime is punishable by life imprisonment. A year and a half later, he was sentenced to life in prison. Cristina, a fictitious name used to protect their identities because some of their acquaintances are unaware of the story, has been fighting ever since for her son’s transfer to Spain. Her son, now 37 years old, is the only Spanish prisoner in Qatar. The bureaucratic process should have been straightforward, but it has faced setbacks, delays, and hurdles that have tested Cristina’s patience, determination, and her son’s fragile mental and physical state. The latest obstacle was the announcement of elections in May 2023, which almost halted the process.
Cristina and her husband met in Andalusia five decades ago. Soon after, they were offered jobs in Qatar and moved to the Arab country in the 1980s. They formed their family there, although their imprisoned son was born in Spain, where he also completed part of his studies. While she prefers not to go into details about the events that led to her son’s conviction, she explains that he got involved due to threats from drug traffickers. They spent their energy and money on expensive lawyers, but it was all in vain – he was sentenced to life imprisonment. While she does not dispute the sentence or seek to change it, she states that she will not stop until her son is transferred to Spain.
The perseverance of Cristina has been tested since the day of her son’s arrest. Until 2021, Qatar did not have any prisoner transfer agreements with other countries. However, the upcoming football world cup led to a slight opening in their international relations. In 2018, negotiations with Spain began, and despite the pandemic causing temporary halts, they resumed in 2021. A spokesperson from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that despite delays due to circumstances like changing ambassadors, government elections, and the pandemic, the negotiations followed a standard timeline.
In May 2022, Cristina was informed that the agreement was drafted, but it was not until October that the Justice Minister and the Qatari Ambassador signed it. In December of that year, it reached the State Council. In April 2023, it was debated and approved by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Congress of Deputies, and on May 11, it was approved by the full Congress. The next step was ratification by the Senate, but the announcement of general elections halted the process. Everything was left in limbo, leaving Cristina in suspense and unsure of what to tell her son, whom she had been updating on the progress.
Throughout these years, Cristina has knocked on every door, appealed to every authority, and sent letters to every possible political and institutional representative, including the Spanish Royal Family. She has met with prison authorities in Qatar, the prosecutor handling her son’s case, the Spanish consul and ambassador, politicians of all political affiliations, the Ombudsman, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, among others. Amidst this journey, she connected with Javier Casado from the Foundation +34, an organization dedicated to advising and assisting Spanish prisoners abroad.
The ongoing ordeal has taken a toll on Cristina, who has had to fight for every step. Despite feeling drained, she continues to push for her son’s transfer, ensuring he has necessities in prison and even bringing him art supplies for his hobby. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there were 945 Spanish prisoners abroad as of February 1, 2024, with 57% of them being detained on drug-related charges, similar to Cristina’s son. The struggle has been emotionally and mentally draining for Cristina, who is desperate for her son to return home.
