Prosecutors hear witnesses in stolen baby cases

Prosecutors in Madrid and Barcelona on Friday began listening to testimony from witnesses related to the sale of babies during and beyond the Franco era. The opening of these investigations came a day after the Attorney's General Office told provincial prosecutors throughout Spain to keep all cases involving suspected theft of children open for the time being.

At a meeting last week in Seville, several prosecutors had said they were unable to investigate cases of stolen children given the time which had elapsed since the alleged crimes. In many cases, the institutions involved no longer exist, and medical staff or those running children's homes have died. In Málaga, the police say that their investigations over the last month have shown no evidence of an organized ring carrying out the trafficking of babies.

Over the last month, hundreds of families have come forward in connection with the possible theft of their babies.