Barcelona, December 22, 2025 – The University of Barcelona (UB) has taken decisive action in the case of Professor Ramón Flecha, referring the matter to the Prosecutor’s Office and suspending three additional professors associated with his academic group. This move follows a preliminary report from an investigative commission that found credibility in the accusations made by eleven complainants. Flecha himself was temporarily suspended as an emeritus professor in July.
Preliminary Report Confirms Serious Allegations
The report, dated December 19, includes an expert psychological evaluation of the victims’ reliability. It concludes that the events described within the CREA research group are “very serious.” Sources within the university detailed that the incidents “could constitute sexual coercion, psychological coercion, abuse, personal and professional exploitation, as well as humiliating and intimidating behaviors.” These findings align with the existence of a “high-control coercive group,” consistent with earlier allegations of the group operating like a cult.
The UB launched an investigation into Flecha and his CREA research group after elDiario.es, in collaboration with RTVE Noticias, Ràdio 4-RNE, and Infolibre, published an investigative report. This report featured testimonies from several female subordinates who accused Flecha of demanding massages, sexual favors, and household chores. Initially, 11 victims filed internal complaints with the UB, a number that has since increased to 16. The temporary suspension of Flecha’s duties was among the initial precautionary measures taken by the institution.
New Measures: Referral to Prosecutor’s Office and Additional Suspensions
The new measures adopted by the UB primarily include the referral to the Prosecutor’s Office, which was formalized this Monday. Additionally, two research and teaching staff members (Personal Docente Investigador) from the group have been suspended from work (though not from salary), and a third individual has had their honorary professorship suspended. These actions are in addition to Flecha’s own temporary suspension, which took effect when the investigation began in July.
Further precautionary measures stemming from the preliminary report include the freezing of academic and professional merits under suspicion due to the CREA investigation. These merits will not be considered in faculty selection processes. The university is also providing psychological support for all affected individuals at the UB and is sharing information about the case with other universities where the academic group has a presence.
In an official statement, the UB declared, “The facts reported are of unjustifiable gravity, intolerable and repulsive acts that violate the dignity and respect every person deserves.” The university expressed its “deepest regret” for the “suffering” and “pain” caused to the complainants.
Support for Victims and Past Allegations
The revelations against Flecha sparked a wave of support for the victims among university collectives and research groups. The Generalitat even provisionally suspended a distinction awarded to Marta Soler, director of CREA and an outspoken defender of the accused professor. University groups called for her removal from the directorship of the Sociology Department, but it has not yet been confirmed whether she is among those suspended.
The CREA academic group, founded by Flecha, has faced previous accusations of operating like a cult within the university. The first instance was in 2004, followed by another in 2016. However, the Prosecutor’s Office closed the cases at those times due to insufficient evidence of a crime.
Another issue that emerged following the recent accusations against Flecha was alleged academic fraud. Flecha published an article on sexual harassment, originally written by a researcher, under his own name, as uncovered by elDiario.es. The CSIC subsequently removed the article from its rankings after detecting irregularities in its citations.
