Spain’s Supreme Court Friday ordered lower courts to investigate deaths caused by COVID-19 in the country’s nursing homes. The Court additionally ordered probes into possible misuse of government funding to purchase flawed or fraudulent medical equipment.

The instructions follow a previous ruling that complaints filed by unions, professional organizations, relatives of COVID-19 victims, and a political party against the government for its management of the COVID-19 health crisis were not duly justified. But the Court agreed that investigation is necessary so that any criminal cases may be initiated or added to those already in process. Specifically, the lower courts have been told to determine which, if any, deaths in a nursing home resulted from political, administrative or management decisions, and whether any of those choices merit criminal sanctions.

Some complaints accused the President, Vice President and Ministers of homicide and serious negligence. The Court said that there needs to be a demonstrated link between actions or omissions and fatal or harmful results before any criminal proceedings can begin. The Court additionally observed that it would need to be proven that the harmful or fatal results could have been avoided if the government had acted differently.

Other complaints accuse the government of failing to provide the necessary protection for security personnel and health workers. For these investigations, it will merely need to be proven that government action or negligence increased the health risks faced security personnel and health workers.