The State v. Cassandra Vera

Case Law
Country
Country Location

Latitud: 40.17158238163279

Longitud: -3.6606463193890733

Country Location (vinculado Case Law)
Spain
Decision Date
26 feb 2018
Case Status
Cerrado
Case Outcome (Procedural)
  • Reversed Lower Court
Case Outcome (Disposition)
  • Judgment in Favor of Defendant
Keywords
  • Extremist Speech
  • Freedom of Expression
  • Hate Speech
  • Social Media
  • Terrorism
Judicial Body
Corte Suprema [corte de última instancia/casación]
Case Number
STC 493/2018
Case Summary

Cassandra Vera tweeted several jokes concerning the assassination by ETA of a high-ranking official of Francisco Franco's dictatorship, in 1973. She was prosecuted and found guilty of  glorifying terrorism and humiliating victims of terrorism under Article 578 of the Spanish Penal Code. On appeal, the Supreme Court acquitted her on the grounds that the tweets were satirical, that the assassination occurred a long time ago and that her posts could no longer pose a threat to national security.

The decision establishes a binding or persuasive precedent within its jurisdiction.

Source Name and URL
Columbia Global Freedom of Expression