Spanish Family Convicted for Kidnapping Woman Over Moroccan Boyfriend

The young woman’s family did not approve of the relationship she had with the Moroccan. They then used force and kidnapped the young woman, who was found with one foot chained to a window grill on August 17, 2021 in a house in Zaragoza.

Alerted by the Moroccan who reported the kidnapping of his girlfriend, the national police officers had to force the door of the house to free her. The young man declared to the agents that the 18-year-old woman had been kidnapped by her own family who did not approve of their relationship. The victim’s uncle and his wife threatened to "kill" the young man and his parents if he did not end the relationship with their niece.

The young woman’s father, two of her brothers and their respective wives were arrested by the police. According to the young woman’s version, her aunts ordered her to chain her foot with the chain and she obeyed, out of respect. On this basis, the judge ordered the provisional release of the five detainees accused of kidnapping and threats.

But after a thorough investigation, the judge decided to prosecute them for degrading treatment and violence. The two uncles and aunts of the victim admitted the facts. Their lawyer managed to reach an agreement with the prosecution to reduce their sentence. Thus, the aunt who ordered her niece to chain herself received six months in prison. The three other defendants were sentenced to fines.

Neither the threat nor the kidnapping served any purpose, as the couple not only remained together, but they already have a child.