Spain's Ministry of the Interior apologized to journalists on Tuesday and denied having tried to silence the press, after a report revealed that the agency secretly compiled a list of reporters and their political opinions. The online newspaper El Confidencial published an exclusive article stating that the ministry compiled a list containing various journalists, including editors and columnists.
The controversy over freedom of expression arises at a delicate time for the ministry, which is led by the Socialist Party and is already facing criticism for how it handled the unprecedented massive migratory flow to Ceuta, a Spanish territory in northern Africa, in July. The migratory episode in Ceuta added political pressure to the Spanish government during the period when the list of journalists was being compiled or had already been prepared.
