Veteran Spanish singer Julio Iglesias has formally asked Spanish authorities to dismiss a criminal complaint filed against him by two former employees, shifting the focus of the high-profile case to a legal dispute over jurisdiction as investigations continue.

According to documents submitted on Monday to Spain’s top criminal court, the Audiencia Nacional, Iglesias’s lawyer, José Antonio Choclán, argued that Spanish courts lack authority to hear the case because the alleged incidents did not take place in Spain. The women, a domestic worker and a physiotherapist, allege they suffered sexual and other forms of abuse while working at Iglesias’s properties in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas in 2021.

Choclán told the court that any investigation should be conducted in the countries where the alleged acts occurred, urging prosecutors to “immediately close” the preliminary inquiry. He also called for an end to what he described as “the media campaign causing serious harm” to the 82-year-old singer’s reputation.

“The Spanish prosecutor cannot unilaterally assume the role of a universal prosecutor, nor can Spanish courts, and it is also not permissible for the victim to choose the jurisdiction that is most convenient for them,” Choclán wrote in his submission.

The complaint was filed with Spanish prosecutors earlier this month with the support of advocacy groups Women’s Link Worldwide and Amnesty International. The organisations said the allegations include acts that could amount to “a crime of human trafficking for the purpose of forced labour” and “crimes against sexual freedom” under Spanish law. According to testimony collected by the groups, the women claim Iglesias subjected them to sexual harassment, regularly checked their mobile phones, restricted their ability to leave the homes where they worked, and required them to work up to 16 hours a day without days off.

Women’s Link Worldwide said the decision to file the case in Spain was based on the country’s legislation on gender-based violence and trafficking, as well as Iglesias’s Spanish nationality. The organisation has said the complainants are expected to testify before prosecutors at a later date, noting that the preliminary investigation phase could last up to a year.

Iglesias has publicly rejected the allegations. In a message posted on his Instagram account last week, he said: “I deny having abused, coerced, or disrespected any woman. These accusations are absolutely false and deeply sadden me.”

He added that he intended to defend his dignity against what he described as serious accusations, thanking supporters who had sent messages of solidarity.

The singer has also been reported to be preparing his defence in private. Celebrity magazine Hola! said it spoke with Iglesias by telephone, reporting that he believed “the truth would come out” and that the situation would be clarified, though no direct quotes were published.

The allegations first came to public attention through a joint investigation by Spanish newspaper elDiario.es and US television network Univision, prompting widespread reaction in Spain. Members of the leftist government have backed calls for a full investigation, while opposition figures have urged caution against speculation. Spain’s Equality Minister, Ana Redondo, described the testimonies as requiring thorough scrutiny, while Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz called them “chilling”.

Iglesias, born in Madrid, is one of the most recognisable figures in Spanish popular culture, with a career spanning several decades and more than 300 million records sold worldwide. Known for romantic ballads and a carefully cultivated public image, he has collaborated with international artists including Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder and Willie Nelson.

As prosecutors assess both the substance of the allegations and the question of jurisdiction, the case has become a test of how Spanish courts apply gender-based violence and trafficking laws to alleged offences committed abroad, even as Iglesias maintains that the accusations against him are “absolutely false”.