Justice authorizes the eviction of the old Palma prison

PalmaA court in Palma has authorized the entry and forced eviction of the last 80 people residing in the city's former prison, which is expected to be executed this June.

This was reported by the mayor of Palma, Jaime Martínez, at a press conference this Tuesday to report on the judicial order issued last Friday, after the City Council requested this eviction to recover possession of the property that was once inhabited by more than 200 people. the judicial order issued last Friday, after the City Council requested this eviction to recover possession of the property that was once inhabited by more than 200 people.

Based on this resolution, an extraordinary local security board will be convened this Thursday to plan, coordinate, and set a date for the eviction.

Martínez has not specified on what date the forced eviction could be carried out, although he has stressed that he is in contact with the Spanish Government Delegation in the Balearic Islands. The mayor has positively highlighted that the judge's ruling was issued on the same day that Cort made the request and that it "upholds all and each of the points of the file". Furthermore, he pointed out that the ruling highlights that social reports confirm that no minors or victims of gender violence have been identified in the old prison.

The order, facilitated by the City Council, indicates the need for the eviction, taking into account the "poor sanitary conditions" in which the residents are found, as shown by reports from the Local Police, the Fire and Rescue Service, and health authorities. These reports, the judicial ruling continues, reveal the existence of a "real, serious, and current risk" to the life and physical integrity of the people residing in the property, a structure that "hinders" evacuation and poses an "high risk" of fire.

The judicial ruling also underlines that the City Council has informed, assessed, and offered residents access to various social services resources, and that the forced eviction measure is "necessary, appropriate, and proportionate."

On the other hand, the mayor highlighted that municipal social services will continue to inform and be available to people who have not voluntarily left the property. As indicated, out of more than 200 people who were there in February, the "vast majority" of the 140 people who have left the prison have gone from Palma, while another 45 have accessed resources from the Majorcan Institute of Social Affairs.

In this regard, he assured that the City Council has no record of these people having moved to other settlements or buildings in the capital.

The Infrastructure Area is working to close off access to the old prison once the forced eviction has been carried out. Video surveillance will also be installed, and there will be a presence of the Local Police to prevent new entries, the mayor added.