The Provincial Court of Madrid has issued a ruling that ratifies the possibility of labeling a religious congregation as a "destructive cult," thus supporting the claims of its former members. This recent judicial decision considers that such expressions are protected by freedom of speech and are based on the real experiences of those who left the organization.
The sentence emphasizes that the terms used by former members of the congregation are not mere insults, but rather "value judgments with sufficient factual basis." This litigation, which began in 2019, has highlighted the desire of affected individuals to "recover an emotional relationship with their relatives" who are still part of the religious confession.
In the province of Almería, it is estimated that this congregation has approximately 2,000 members, while nationwide the figure exceeds 120,000. Some of these former members have organized into an association with the aim of "achieving changes in the habits of the religious confession to adapt to the current values of democratic societies."
“"The judges also consider that these expressions are supported by the real experiences of former members of the witnesses, who have recounted what they suffered within the sect during this judicial process."
The judicial resolution also points out that the intention of the affected individuals is not to defame, but to make an "evident denunciation." Despite this ruling, the congregation has announced its intention to appeal the sentence, suggesting that the legal process, which has been ongoing for seven years, has not yet concluded.
