Spanish priest arrested for criticizing radical Islam is acquitted— but fears prosecutors won’t stop harassing him

A Spanish priest, Father Custodio Ballester, has been acquitted of hate speech charges following remarks he made in 2016 criticizing radical Islam. Ballester, along with another priest and a journalist, faced potential prison time for their statements, but a court ruled that the necessary elements for a hate speech offense were lacking, emphasizing that even offensive statements do not automatically constitute a crime. Ballester stated that prosecutors were angered by the ruling and are expected to appeal, seeing it as a setback for their efforts to prosecute perceived hate speech. Ballester's original remarks were made in response to a pastoral letter advocating dialogue with Islam. He argued that Islam does not permit true dialogue and highlighted the persecution of Christians in Islamic countries. He felt a moral obligation to speak the truth about the realities faced by persecuted Christians, referencing the jizya tax as an example. The case stemmed from complaints filed by a pro-Muslim organization, initiating a years-long investigation. Ballester believes his situation reflects a broader trend in Spain where criticism of radical Islam is criminalized under the guise of hate crime laws, which he views as a tool for censorship and ideological persecution. He expressed concern that the Spanish state is using hate crime legislation to silence religious and conservative voices, arguing that the law is applied one-sidedly agai... download the app to read more