Spanish court rules Jehovah’s Witnesses can be called ‘destructive sect’
A Spanish court has ruled that critics of Jehovah’s Witnesses may describe the religious group as a “destructive sect” without risking defamation claims, citing protections for free expression.
Jehovah’s Witnesses, a US-based Christian evangelical movement best known for its door-to-door preaching, has regularly filed lawsuits against those who criticise its practices.
The Provincial Court of Madrid upheld a 2023 ruling in favour of the Spanish Association of Jehovah’s Witnesses Victims (AEVTJ), finding that its public criticism of the group does not unlawfully damage its right to honour or reputation.
The court said describing Jehovah’s Witnesses as a “destructive sect” falls within the scope of protected free speech under Spanish law, even if it is offensive to the religious organisation, according to a ruling dated April 16 seen Tuesday by AFP.
Saying that belonging to Jehovah’s Witnesses “harms health, endangers people’s lives, or creates victims” also falls under freedom of expression, “even if it is unpleasant or hurtful”, the ruling added.
The case stems from a legal complaint brought by six Spanish Jehovah’s Witnesses, who argued that the use of the word “victims” in the association’s name was defamatory and sought its dissolution.
Carlos Bardavio, a lawyer representing the association, described the ruling as unprecedented.
“This is the first time that, in a country, it has been stated that a religion can be described as a ‘destructive sect’, even if it is formally registered as a religion,” he told AFP.
Jehovah’s Witnesses did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The ruling is not yet final and may still be appealed to Spain’s Supreme Court.
Jehovah’s Witnesses, founded in 1870 by pastor Charles Taze Russell in Pennsylvania, claim to have around nine million followers worldwide.
The group opposes blood transfusions, believing blood is sacred.
A number of cases involving parents refusing to allow their sick children to receive transfusions have made headlines over the past decades.
Critics of the organisation also say it is difficult to leave, with some former members saying they faced emotional pressure to remain or were shunned after abandoning the religion.
AFP
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