Spanish Student Has Conviction For Twitter Joke Overturned

In a case that sent shockwaves throughout Spain, 22-year-old student Cassandra Vera had originally been handed down a 12-month suspended sentence and was even barred from doing any publicly funded job for seven years after being found guilty of “humiliating victims of terrorism” back in March 2017.
But the sentence was overturned yesterday by the supreme court.

Cassandra Vera @kira_95, nunca debió ser procesada. Las formas de expresión que puedan humillar a las víctimas de terrorismo o sus familiares, aunque pueden resultar ofensivas, no deberían ser constitutivas de una infracción penal pic.twitter.com/yjSmrb8jVx

— Amnistía Internacional España (@amnistiaespana) March 1, 2018

Luis Carrero Blanco was assassinated by members of the separatist terrorist organization ETA on 20 December 1973.
In one of the offending tweets, Vera wrote on 29 November 2013: “Eta launched a policy against official cars combined with a space programme.”
The Spanish student also later tweeted: “Kissinger gave Carrero Blanco a piece of the moon; Eta paid for the trip there.”
The judges stated in their ruling: “While the accused’s conduct is reprehensible and blameworthy from a moral and social point of view – it makes fun of a very serious human tragedy caused by unjustifiable terrorist acts – it does not seem to be a case that requires an answer from the penal system."
Speaking afterwards, Cassandra commented:“I’ve had all this hanging over me and have been going through the courts for two years.
“It means I can carry on with my plans to become a teacher. My dream isn’t broken any more and I can continue fighting for it.”
She added: "People shouldn’t have to be afraid of expressing their opinions... freedom of expression is under serious attack. I think freedom of expression has been dealt an almost fatal blow in Spain.”

Todo este tiempo de vejaciones institucionales y mediáticas no se lo devuelve nadie. Pero Cassandra mantiene su dignidad intacta ante lo peor de este país y sobre todo, su libertad. Maravillosa noticia. Qué alegría.https://t.co/myl4v7u0ti

— Alana Portero (@VelvetMolotov) March 1, 2018