Spain/ Valencia Provincial Court (Audiencia Provincial de Valencia)/ Sentencia de conformidad, dictada por la Sección 3ª de la AP de Valencia el 11 de junio de 2024), 11 June 2024 (Sentencia de conformidad, dictada por la Sección 3ª de la AP de Valenc

Country

Spain

Title

Spain/ Valencia Provincial Court (Audiencia Provincial de Valencia)/ Sentencia de conformidad, dictada por la Sección 3ª de la AP de Valencia el 11 de junio de 2024), 11 June 2024 (Sentencia de conformidad, dictada por la Sección 3ª de la AP de Valencia el 11 de junio de 2024), 11 June 2024.

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Year

2024

Decision/ruling/judgment date

Wednesday, November 06, 2024

Incident(s) concerned/related

Hate speech: Public incitement to violence or hatred

Related Bias motivation

Racial or ethnic origin

Groups affected

Migrants/Non-EU citizens

Court/Body type

National Court

Court/Body

Valencia Provincial Court (Audiencia Provincial de Valencia)

Key facts of the case

Between the months of October 2018 and January 2019, the defendant, on his Facebook profile made, among others, comments and published expressions and photographs such as: "To the Moor thick bullets”(Al moro balas gruesas). He also shared a video in which an Arab speaker gave a talk to a room full of Muslims and added the following comment: "A normal Moor is much more dangerous than a racist white" (Un moro normal es mucho más peligroso q un blanco racista) Similarly, another video in which a woman, asked why today's feminists defend their rights in democratic European countries and do not do the same in Islamic countries in the Middle East. And he added the comment: "Among other reasons because the blacks and Moors who defend so much here would stone and slit their throats without flinching." (Entre otros motivos porque los negros y moros q aquí tanto defienden allí las lapidarían y degollarían sin inmutarse)

Main reasoning/argumentation

Hate speech with various grounds of discrimination such as racism, xenophobia and ideology. Prohibition of going to the social network where the crime was committed.

Is the case related to the application of the Framework Decision on Racism and Xenophobia, the Racial Equality Directive?

Key issues (concepts, interpretations) clarified by the case

All of the accused's remarks, which were publicly visible and had no viewing restrictions, were posted on the social media site Facebook. They significantly denigrated and incited hostility toward immigrants, particularly Black and African and Arab descendants.

Results (sanctions, outcome) and key consequences or implications of the case

sentenced to one year and four months in prison, a fine of six months, with a daily fee of five euros, and subsidiary personal liability as stipulated in article 53 C. Penal; similarly, in the imposition of the penalty of special disqualification for educational profession or trade, in the field of teaching, sports, and leisure for a period of seven years under the provisions of article 510.5 of the Criminal Code, the social network FACEBOOK for a period of five years, which implies the closure for that time of their account-profile on the aforementioned network,in violation of articles 57 and 48.1 of the Criminal Code, which prohibit access to it and the creation of additional accounts or profiles on the social network Facebook; additionally, it agreed that the defendant will be required to cover the costs of the proceedings and that the accused's Facebook content should be deleted (art. 510.6 of the Criminal Code).

Key quotation in original language and its unofficial translation into English with reference details

Expressions such as:" (Al moro balas gruesas “;"Esto del cambio climático se nos va de las manos…Mira el va cambiando que hoy salgo a la calle de mi pueblo y en lugar de ver paisanos míos he visto más de 20 negros sueltos sin collar ni chip ni vacunas ni tan siquiera cartilla veterinaria y parasitaria. ¡¡¡Eso sí los perros domésticos deben llevar todo en regla aún e ir atados!!!) "To the Moor, thick bullets"; This climate change thing is getting out of hand... Look, the changing that today I go out on the street of my town and instead of seeing my countrymen I have seen more than 20 blacks loose without collar or chip or vaccines or even veterinary and parasitic card. Of course, domestic dogs must still have everything in order and be on a leash!!"

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