Six individuals acquitted in Zestoa case

The judge ruled that the six people accused of assisting a victim of sexist violence acted in legitimate defense.

Generic image depicting the atmosphere of a courtroom.
IA

Generic image depicting the atmosphere of a courtroom.

Six individuals accused in the Zestoa (Gipuzkoa) case have been acquitted by the judge, after being charged with allegedly assisting a victim of sexist violence.

The Provincial Court of Gipuzkoa has acquitted the six individuals tried in the Zestoa case. The accuser's lawyer and the Public Prosecutor's Office attempted to prove a crime against "moral integrity" of the man, who was reported in 2018 by the ex-partner of a woman, but the judge has determined that no crime occurred.
The man was seeking prison sentences of four and five years for his former partner and the five individuals who protected her. The Public Prosecutor's Office initially requested financial penalties for the five accused, arguing a crime of "coercion," but during the trial modified its request and sought acquittal for the complainant.
The judge, five months after the trial concluded, has ruled that no crime was committed and has acquitted them all. Consequently, they will not have to pay the financial penalties requested by the Public Prosecutor's Office.
The Zestoa Feminist Movement denounced the case as a "denunciation against feminist solidarity" and stated that it highlights the "heteropatriarchal nature" of the judicial system. The case has had significant media and public presence, with large concentrations held in support of the accused.