Hackers disturb presentation Spanish religious freedom report
11-10-2022
Online presentation of the O. Libertad Religiosa. Image not related to the presentation of the report on religious freedom. Photo Facebook, Observatorio para la Libertad Religiosa y de Conciencia
The Spanish association for religious freedom, O. Libertad Religiosa (Observatory for Religious Freedom and Conscience), presented its report on hate crimes against people because of their religious convictions. However, hackers disturbed the presentation, thereby underlining the increase in attacks.
The presentation of the report took place in Madrid at the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED). That is reported by Actualidad Evangelica. Representatives of religious denominations, police officers and other institutions that fight against hate crimes were present when the computer of the presenter was hacked. The online broadcast was disturbed for a few minutes before the problem was resolved. “This confirms the situation we are facing”, Marta García said. She is the president of the OLRC and apologised for the situation.
The organisation announced on Twitter that it would report the incident to the police.
Political parties also guilty
The report presented last week, shows the number of hate crimes for religious reasons is growing in general. In 2021, there were 195 attacks on religious freedom, the OLRC writes. Andalusia (26), Madrid (24 and Valencia (16) are the regions where most attacks take place.
Most of the hate crimes were directed at Christians (146). Most of the victims were Roman Catholics. Also, Muslims and Jews suffered persecution. It is remarkable that political parties, such as the PSOE and United We Can, are also guilty of attacking religious freedom.
Even though the number of incidents seems to have decreased compared to 2020, this is an illusion, Marta García says. In 2020, there were still 240 cases of attacks on religious freedom in Spain. However, that number was higher due to the Covid pandemic, García suspects. “What has disappeared now is the pandemic, a weapon that some have used abusively against believers.” She points out that in 2019, the number of attacks amounted to 175. “We have gone from 175 cases in 2019 to 195 in 2021. That is an increase of more than 11 per cent once the pandemic factor has been eliminated.”
Sanctions
Legislators, governors and political parties play an essential role in protecting religious freedom, according to Marta García. “We ask them to respect the fundamental right to religious freedom; that religious freedom be enforced with surveillance and protection measures, with the application of effective sanctions.”
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