The Provincial Court in Valencia, Spain, has definitively dismissed a criminal complaint against eight Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions activists who had questioned the invitation for Jewish American singer Matisyahu to take part in the Rototom Festival in 2015.
The Court’s decision has been praised by the European Legal Support Centre (ELSC), an NGO based in Amsterdam that defends and empowers the Palestine solidarity movement in Europe through legal means.
A Valencia court has definitively dismissed a criminal complaint against Palestine solidarity activists. #RightToBoycott
Report from @elsclegal: https://t.co/jsypbNFnyt pic.twitter.com/QZYB6rPPAM
— BDS movement (@BDSmovement) January 19, 2021
“This is another milestone victory for the right to freedom of expression for those who defend Palestinian rights in Spain,” said a spokesperson for the Centre.
The Court acknowledged in its hearing earlier this month that criticism of the Israeli government’s practices against the Palestinians does not constitute an incitement to hatred.
Court rejects boycott of pro-Israeli musician Matisyahu by eight Spanish #BDS activists as a "hate crime".https://t.co/HHr4kVhORf
— Brighton BDS (@BrightonBDS) January 18, 2021
Objecting to a singer’s participation in a festival that is committed to respecting human rights, when the objections are based on his personal support for the practices of the State of Israel, the Court determined, is not a criminal act. It is, rather, reflective of a legitimate form of activism in support of Palestinian rights.
(MEMO, PC, Social Media)
