Kira López parents have taken a man to court over more than 100 offensive tweets in a landmark civil case.

The trial concluded this Wednesday at Barcelona’s Court of First Instance number 20, with the family seeking €40,000 in damages and a public retraction.

Kira López Parents Face Online Harassment After Tragedy

The defendant, reportedly a former member of the parents’ association at Pare Manyanet Sant Andreu school, allegedly launched what the family describes as an “intense campaign of discredit and false accusations” on social media platform X.

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According to Europa Press, the tweets contained insults, mockery, and false implications about the family’s role in their daughter’s 2021 suicide.

Furthermore, the parents claim the defendant shared a falsified version of Kira’s farewell WhatsApp message. This action, they state, caused “unbearable pain” and forced them to publicly release their daughter’s actual message in October 2022. The emotional toll of this online harassment represents a growing concern about digital behaviour following personal tragedies.

Defendant Claims Freedom Of Expression Defence

During Wednesday’s proceedings, the defendant denied that some tweets targeted Kira López parents specifically. For other messages, he reportedly argued they constituted legitimate exercise of his right to freedom of expression. This case therefore highlights the complex legal boundary between free speech and personal defamation in Spain’s digital landscape.

The family’s lawsuit follows a previous criminal case for minor insults where the defendant was acquitted, as such offences were decriminalised in 2015. Consequently, they have now pursued civil action, seeking both financial compensation and a court-ordered public correction on the same platform where the original posts appeared.

This case emerges amidst broader discussions about online safety and accountability. Meanwhile, Barcelona continues to address various community safety issues, as seen in recent police operations targeting criminal activity in Ciutat Vella.

The court’s eventual ruling will be closely watched for its implications regarding online harassment and the responsibilities of social media users. The Kira López parents case could potentially set a significant precedent for how Spanish courts handle digital defamation and the protection of honour in the internet age.

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