Legislators in Spain’s lower house of parliament voted on Thursday to change a law that has allowed judges to indict figures such as Augusto Pinochet and Osama bin Laden under the principle of “universal jurisdiction”.

Spanish law permits the prosecution of genocide, terrorism and torture regardless of where the crimes took place. There are 13 international cases under investigation by the National Criminal Court, including Israeli air force bombings in Gaza and alleged abuses in Tibet and Guantánamo.