Risto Mejide, one step away from the courts for an alleged hate crime against anti-vaccines

The Supreme Court will consider whether to reopen the case against the presenter Risto Mejide and the comedian Miguel Lagocollaborator in his program Everything is a liefor a hate crime against those who chose not to get vaccinated against Covid-19.

The publicist’s dispute will reach the Supreme Court, according to a report on Tuesday The Objective. The Provincial Court of Madrid has changed its criteria and admits that the parties can file an appeal before the Supreme Courtfor which they have been given a period of 15 days. The High Court will review the ruling of the head of the 27th Court of Instruction of Madrid, María Ángeles Velázquez, who ordered that Mejide and the comedian be brought to trial.

In November 2022, Risto Mejide, Miguel Lago and Anabel Alonso were denounced by the Liberum Association and by the lawyer José Luis Mazón for allegedly committing a hate crime against those who refused to get vaccinated during the pandemic. “These are measures that practically turn the unvaccinated into outcasts, which I think is fine,” said the Catalan. He added: “If you decide not to get vaccinated, that’s up to you. Everyone is respectable, but not all ideas are respectable or deserve respect.”

Initially, the proceedings had been dismissed, but Judge María Ángeles Velázquez reopened the case based on the “repetition of conduct that, due to its seriousness, reiteration or discursive entity, could provoke, directly or indirectly, feelings of hatred”“as it became known this January.

Both Risto Mejide and Miguel Lago appealed to the Provincial Court from Madrid. The penalty for this type of crime is from one to four years in prison. Fines range from six to 12 months.