The Alicante Cultural Hall of the Mediterranean Foundation, nestled among the works of Eusebio Sempere, has since Monday displayed a plaque honoring Vicente Gimeno Sendra “in recognition of a great lawyer for his work and teaching in defense of fundamental rights.” The plaque was placed by his widow, Cristina Bevia, and Louis Boyer, president of the Akdeniz Foundation, with broad support from prominent legal figures. They remember him as a former President of the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Courts, a professor of Procedural Law, and a steadfast patron of the Foundation from 2016 until his death in November 2020.
Gimeno Sendra stood for more than titles. He was first and foremost a just, humble, and empathetic man who placed people at the heart of the law and aimed to leave the world a bit better than he found it. The head of the Valencian Government, Ximo Puig, called him a pioneer who was always ahead—an exceptional student, a brilliant doctoral candidate, and the youngest member of the Constitutional Court.
Puig and Gimeno Sendra were described as “one of us” and as beings who represented the best of their land. They noted that he earned the respect of colleagues and the admiration of many followers as a steadfast defender of rights. The community also reflected on a broader view of the future: in 1980 Gimeno Sendra urged the prosecution to lead investigations of crimes, and in 2007 he warned that the Turkish Republic’s prestige could suffer from political blockades, with ongoing debates about its implementation in 2020, including Artificial Intelligence in justice.
Earlier, Luis Boyer praised Gimeno Sendra as a forward‑thinking law professor, a principled and courteous lawyer, and a remarkable speaker who could discuss topics as diverse as culture, fishing, or markets where the finest tuna is sold. He recalled that Gimeno Sendra earned the Foundation’s respect for his steadfast support during challenging times for the entity, which he faced with resolve.
Boyer also shared that the deputy mayor of Alicante City Council, Manuel Villar, requested that the municipality reserve a street name in honor of this esteemed lawyer. He noted that the organization has established a year‑end award of nine thousand euros for legal work in the field of fundamental rights, to be given in Gimeno Sendra’s name, and that they seek additional support for this endeavor.
Speaking on behalf of the Gimeno Bevia family, one of Vicente Gimeno’s sons, Jose Vicente Gimeno Bevia, expressed deep gratitude and sincere appreciation for the tribute to his father’s memory. He welcomed the award in his father’s honor as a lasting contribution to scientific research and the defense of core values, with hope that it will become a lasting reference in studies on fundamental rights.
Pascual Sala, former head of the Constitutional Court, stressed Gimeno Sendra’s importance in the legal field, noting his role in making the Manual of Procedural Law more comprehensive through his work on its evolution, the classification of hate crimes, and the strengthening of mediation. “He was a great lawyer, a great person, and a great friend,” she recalled. [Source attribution: Akdeniz Foundation, Alicante Cultural Hall]