As citizens, we do not perceive political parties and public prosecutors as allies, but as a part of the problem.
It is evident to any observer that a large part of the victories in the fight against systemic corruption is coming from the citizens or thanks to citizen support. Fed up with seeing those responsible for major frauds and scams go unpunished, we have promoted and energized a series of citizen initiatives against corruption, among which we highlight the exemplary case of 15MPARATO, a citizen initiative responsible for the lawsuit that drives the Bankia case and leads to the reimbursement of several billion euros to the affected individuals and the conviction of 65 politicians and bankers, including the former Minister of Economy and former President of the International Monetary Fund, Rodrigo Rato.
Throughout these experiences, we have developed technical systems to protect whistleblowers and handle information from their leaks and citizen journalism. Additionally, we advocate for the legislative normalization of frameworks that protect this right.
In the realm of whistleblowers, we are pioneers in Spain in opening anonymous leak boxes in NGOs and institutions. At the Barcelona City Council, we opened the first government anonymous mailbox that uses Tor, and now we are replicating it in many other institutions throughout the country.
We have contributed to the European Directive in defense of whistleblowers and have created a template for Whistleblower Protection Laws that have been used to shape legislation and amendments at both state, national, regional, and European levels.
Corruption cases in Spain brought to light by the XnetLeaks Mailbox
• “Blesa’s mails” that lead to the conviction of Former Minister of Economy and President of the IMF and 65 other politicians and bankers and the imprisonment of 15 of them:
– The end of an era. 6 reasons for open access →
– 15Mparato →
• “Blesa’s mails” each public opinion →
• How Caja Madrid’s Black Cards’ scandal was uncovered →
• The scandal of Caja Madrid’s Fundation: Miguel Blesa funded with more than 14 millions PP, PSOE, IU and CCOO →
• The Working Group Against Corruption in Catalonia makes the Parliament approve the Generalitat’s appearance against Urdangarin and the Princess in the Palma Arena case, thus invalidating the “Botin doctrine” →
• Minister Luis de Guindos’ role in #LuxLeaks →
• Malpractices of the current direction of Bankia and most of the unions against the interests of Bankia’s workers →
• The City Council of Barcelona opens an anonymous mailbox for citizen leaks to fight against corruption inspired in XnetLeaks and with Xnet as advisors →
• Chief Mayors: Video made by Xnet with the reports of corruption sent by the citizens to its Mailbox for leaks citizens against corruption →
• A judge investigates a corruption plot concerning the Catalan AVE (high speed train) →
• The judge investigates if steel bills were inflated with the AVE →
• Alleged relationships between “black” payments in the PP headquarters,the COFELY Company (involved in another legal process: the “OperanciónPunica”) and the awards of public contracts in Son Espases Hospital →
• A change of materials to reduce costs causes toxic leaks in Menorca’s municipal dump →
Anonymous and secure mailboxes against systemic abuse and corruption installed with the Xnet model in institutions
We open anonymous and secure Xnet Leaksboxes powered by Globaleaks in institutions so they assume this responsibility. This does not exempt them from being monitored, but it does save us some work.
• First prototype of an anonymous and secure mailbox in an institution: the Barcelona City Council.
Xnet and the Barcelona City Council install the first mailbox for anonymous citizen leaks against corruption in an institution →
• Replica of the prototype of the anonymous and secure Xnet mailbox in other institutions.
The Xnet powered by Globaleaks Institution Mailbox has been installed in over 300 institutions →
Xnet is a member of WIN Whistleblowers International Network.
More info here:
Xnet’s Mailbox for Citizen Leaks against Corruption.
15MPARATO
This work is reflected in the projects:
Citizen Group to fight against Corruption in Spain
Catalonia’s Citizen Group against Corruption in Catalonia
Decalogue for the Protection of Whistleblowers
Anticorruption Commission of the X Party
How we fought against corruption: a public guide
More information about our work for the adequate protection of whistleblowers in Spain:
2017 – XnetLeaks: mailboxes for reporting systemic abuses and corruption
https://xnet-x.net/en/xnetleaks/
25 June, 2018 – Template for a Law on Full Protection of Whistleblowers
https://xnet-x.net/en/template-law-full-protection-whistleblowers/
10 January, 2023 – Amendments to the Whistleblowers Protection Bill
https://xnet-x.net/en/amendments-to-the-whistleblowers-protection-bill/
6 February, 2023 – Civil society urges Spanish Senate to amend harmful whistleblower protection bill before it is too late
https://xnet-x.net/en/civil-society-urges-spanish-senate-amend-whistleblower-protection-bill/
11 December, 2019 – Xnet registers the first transposition of the European Union Whistleblower Protection Directive
https://xnet-x.net/en/xnet-primera-transposicion-ley-alertadores-whistleblowers-denunciantes/
2 September, 2018 – Accepted our amendments to the Whistleblowers Directive proposal
https://xnet-x.net/en/aceptadas-nuestras-enmiendas-en-defensa-alertadores-whistelblowers/
10 June, 2019 – Xnet registers in Congress the first transposition of the EU Whistleblower Law
https://xnet-x.net/en/press-conference-xnet-first-transposition-whistleblowers-directive/
11 February, 2019 – Victory for access to information against abuses and frauds #Whistleblowers – Transposition in Spain of the Trade Secrets Directive
https://xnet-x.net/en/victory-access-information-abuses-whistleblowers-trade-secrets-directive/
22 January, 2019 – New Bill on Whistleblowers’ protection based on the Xnet’s template: Citizen Alerts Act of Elkarrekin-Podemos in the Basque Parliament
https://xnet-x.net/en/ley-proteccion-alertadores-plantilla-xnet-alertas-ciudadanas-elkarrekin-parlamento-vasco/
14 January, 2020 – Xnet claims that the Spanish translation of the European Directive on whistleblowers jeopardize their protection
https://xnet-x.net/en/xnet-claims-spanish-translation-european-directive-whistleblowers/
23 January, 2020 – Xnet’s request for correction of the translation of the Whistleblower Directive has been taken into consideration by the new Minister of Justice
https://xnet-x.net/en/peticion-rectificacion-traduccion-alertadores-recogida-ministro-justicia/
25 june, 2018 – Xnet registers a Proposition of Law for the Integral Protection of Whistleblowers in the Catalan Parliament
https://xnet-x.net/es/xnet-parlament-catalunya-proposicion-ley-proteccion-alertadores/
28 October, 2019 – Lecture: Integral protection plan for whistleblowers in the sphere of competence of the Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan Government)
https://www.parlament.cat/web/actualitat/ordre-dia/index.html?p_od0=0101912005
14 September, 2022 – Preliminary law on whistleblower protection: 10 recommended amendments
https://xnet-x.net/en/preliminary-law-on-whistleblower-protection/
10 January, 2023 – Amendments to the Whistleblowers Protection Bill
https://xnet-x.net/en/amendments-to-the-whistleblowers-protection-bill/
Are EU Governments taking whistleblower protection seriously? Progress report on EU Directive
https://whistleblowingnetwork.org/Our-Work/Spotlight/Stories/Are-EU-Governments-Taking-Whistleblower-Protection
27 January, 2021 – Xnet responds to the public consultation on the transposition of the Ministry of Justice’s Whistleblower Directive
https://xnet-x.net/en/consulta-publica-directiva-proteccion-whistleblowers-alertadores-ministerio-justicia/
14 January, 2020 – Xnet claims that the Spanish translation of the European Directive on whistleblowers jeopardize their protection
https://xnet-x.net/en/xnet-claims-spanish-translation-european-directive-whistleblowers/
12 June, 2018 – Analysis and recommendations for key modifications in the draft EC Directive for the Protection of Whistleblowers
https://xnet-x.net/en/recommendations-modifications-draft-ec-directive-protection-whistle-blowers/
9 January, 2017 – Xnet installs a Whistleblowing Platform against corruption for the City Hall of Barcelona – powered by GlobaLeaks and Tor friendly
https://xnet-x.net/en/whistleblowing-platform-barcelona-city-council/
2017 – Xnet warns of the proliferation of Anonymous Boxes which ARE NOT ANONYMOUS
https://www.counterpunch.org/2017/11/08/warning-to-spanish-and-other-whistleblowers-anonymous-boxes-which-are-not-anonymous/
