The legal differences between the SERIOUS DISOBEDIENCE OFFENSE of Article 556.1 of the Criminal Code, the LESS SERIOUS DISOBEDIENCE OFFENSE of Article 556.2 of the Criminal Code, and MINOR DISOBEDIENCE constituting an administrative infraction as set forth in the Organic Law on Citizen Security.
Serious Disobedience
Serious disobedience to authority is covered in Article 556.1 of the Criminal Code, within offenses against public order:
“1. Those who, without being included in Article 550, seriously resist or disobey authority or its agents in the exercise of their functions, or private security personnel, duly identified, who carry out private security activities in cooperation and under the command of the Security Forces and Corps, shall be punished with a prison sentence of three months to one year or a fine of six to eighteen months.”
It is necessary that the disobedience be serious and, furthermore, that said disobedience occurs in the face of a clear and express mandate from an agent of authority. It is important to note that this attitude must be conscious, precise, and clear to be punishable.
The Second Chamber of the Supreme Court, in its Judgment 459/2019, of October 19, establishes the following:
“Indeed, it is understandable that on those occasions when the crime of disobedience is imputed to a private individual (cf. arts. 556, 348.4.c, 616 quater CP), the personal nature of the requirement acquires singular relevance. Only in this way is the absurdity of a citizen being criminally convicted for the simple act of disregarding the abstract mandate inherent in an imperative norm avoided. Hence, the judgment of subsumption requires that disregard for a personally notified order be verified, with the consequent legal warning that advises of the consequences of non-compliance.”
Minor Disobedience
Less serious disobedience to authority is covered in Article 556.2 of the Criminal Code
2. Those who disrespect and disregard authority, in the exercise of their functions, shall be punished with a fine of one to three months.
Regarding less serious disobedience, covered in Article 556.2 of the Criminal Code, it is important to clarify that these are also typified as offenses, although the associated criminal sanction is lighter, as it involves a fine of 1 to 3 months.
Minor Disobedience
Minor disobedience, after the latest reform of the Criminal Code, the former minor disobedience offense against authority (the repealed art. 634 of the Criminal Code) is incorporated into the Organic Law on Citizen Security, thus becoming an administrative infraction.
Ultimately, and in accordance with the jurisprudence of the Supreme Court, there IS NO OFFENSE when a FIRM ACT of OPPOSITION to the EXERCISE of POLICE WORK is NOT APPRECIATED.
In this regard, citing SUPREME COURT JUDGMENT 45/2016 of February 3 indicates that there is an absence of the typical conduct required for serious disobedience, or in other words, the offense covered by Article 556.1 of the Criminal Code has not been perpetrated, when:
“a firm and stubborn act of opposition to the exercise of police work has not been appreciated. Although the terms used seem to refer more to cases of disobedience, the truth is that they highlight the need to appreciate a certain seriousness in the conduct for it to be considered criminal, since in the legal situation prior to the reform of the Criminal Code by Organic Law 1/2015, conviction for a minor offense against public order was still possible in the mildest cases.”
“That way of behaving, in a situation where, from an objective point of view, it is not recorded that the agents incurred in a reprehensible excess, is contrary to the rules of coexistence and finds its sanction in Article 634, insofar as the disturbance of police work by reproaching agents can be valued as a lack of respect and consideration for them in the exercise of their functions or, even, as minor disobedience to their instructions. But in this case, they do not reach the necessary intensity to be considered constitutive of an offense, inasmuch as the appellant merely reacted against the action (…) which is not recorded as having special significance.”
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Preguntas frecuentes sobre desobediencia grave, menos grave y leve a la autoridad
¿Qué es el delito de desobediencia grave a la autoridad?
El delito de desobediencia grave se produce cuando una persona desobedece de forma seria, consciente y clara una orden legítima de la autoridad o de sus agentes en el ejercicio de sus funciones. Está regulado en el artículo 556.1 del Código Penal.
¿Qué requisitos suelen exigirse para apreciar desobediencia grave?
Debe existir un mandato claro, expreso y legítimo de la autoridad, dirigido a una persona concreta, y una negativa consciente y relevante a cumplirlo. No basta cualquier incumplimiento o reacción puntual: la conducta debe tener suficiente entidad para ser considerada penalmente grave.
¿Qué pena puede tener la desobediencia grave?
El artículo 556.1 del Código Penal prevé para la desobediencia grave una pena de prisión de tres meses a un año o multa de seis a dieciocho meses, siempre que concurran los elementos exigidos por el tipo penal.
¿Qué es la desobediencia menos grave?
La llamada desobediencia menos grave se relaciona con las conductas de falta de respeto y consideración debida a la autoridad en el ejercicio de sus funciones. Está prevista en el artículo 556.2 del Código Penal y tiene una respuesta penal más leve, mediante pena de multa.
¿La desobediencia menos grave también es delito?
Sí. Aunque la sanción sea más reducida que en la desobediencia grave, la conducta prevista en el artículo 556.2 del Código Penal sigue teniendo naturaleza penal. Por ello puede dar lugar a un procedimiento penal y a una condena de multa si se acreditan los hechos.
¿Qué diferencia hay entre desobediencia grave y desobediencia leve?
La diferencia principal está en la intensidad de la conducta. La desobediencia grave exige una oposición clara, firme y relevante frente a la autoridad. En cambio, las conductas leves o de menor entidad pueden quedar fuera del delito y ser tratadas como infracción administrativa conforme a la normativa de seguridad ciudadana.
¿La desobediencia leve es delito?
Tras la reforma del Código Penal, las conductas leves que antes podían tratarse como falta penal pasaron al ámbito administrativo. Por ello, determinados incumplimientos o faltas de respeto de menor entidad pueden sancionarse como infracción administrativa, no como delito.
¿Basta con discutir con un agente para cometer delito de desobediencia?
No necesariamente. Discutir, protestar o mostrar desacuerdo no implica automáticamente cometer un delito de desobediencia. Para que exista delito debe apreciarse una conducta con suficiente gravedad, una orden clara y una oposición relevante al ejercicio legítimo de la labor policial.
¿Qué importancia tiene la jurisprudencia del Tribunal Supremo?
La jurisprudencia ayuda a distinguir cuándo una conducta alcanza la gravedad necesaria para ser delito y cuándo debe quedar en el ámbito administrativo. El Tribunal Supremo ha destacado la necesidad de valorar si existió una oposición firme y contumaz a la actuación policial.
¿Por qué conviene asesoramiento penal en estos casos?
Porque la diferencia entre delito de desobediencia grave, desobediencia menos grave e infracción administrativa puede depender de matices relevantes: la orden recibida, el contexto, la actuación del agente, la conducta del investigado, la prueba disponible y la proporcionalidad de la respuesta sancionadora.
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