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Four Convicted in Spain for Homophobic Murder of Nursing Assistant. Four men have been found guilty in the murder of 24-year-old Samuel Luiz, a nursing assistant, killed in a homophobic attack outside a nightclub in A Coruña in July 2021, CNN News reports. The jury determined that the attack leader, Diego Montaña, perceived Luiz as gay based on his clothing and speech, using homophobic slurs before and after the assault. Montaña, Alejandro Freire, and Kaio Amaral were convicted of aggravated murder, while Alejandro Míguez was convicted of complicity in the attack. Former Equality Minister Irene Montero called for action against hate speech, stating on X: “LGTBIphobia that kills begins with hateful comments or ‘jokes.’”. Sentencing is pending, with prosecutors requesting prison terms ranging from 22 to 27 years for the convicted. The jury deliberated for five days following a trial that spanned nearly four weeks in A Coruña. Spain recorded 364 hate crimes related to sexual orientation or gender identity in 2023, leading to 184 arrests, according to the Interior Ministry. The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights states that many hate crimes across member states remain unreported, highlighting a broader issue of underreporting. The murder of Luiz led to widespread protests across Spain and internationally, demanding justice and action against anti-LGBTQ+ violence. Advocates stress the need to combat hate speech and educate against prejudice to prevent further tragedies like Samuel Luiz’s murder.
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