A Spanish priest, Father Custodio Ballester, told some unpleasant truths about Islam on a podcast, and a Muslim group sued him for “Islamophobia.” Now the Provincial Court of Málaga has acquitted him of a “hate crime” charge. More on his long battle for.justice can be found here: “Spanish priest vindicated after facing ‘hate crime’ charges for criticizing Islam,” by Peter Michaels, LifeSite News, October 27, 2025:
Spanish priest Father Custodio Ballester has been acquitted by the Provincial Court of Málaga of having committed a “hate crime.”
Fr. Ballester, along with Fr. Jesús Calvo and journalist Armando Robles were the victims of a lawsuit launched by a Spanish Muslim activist group that charged them with making “Islamophobic” remarks during a 2017 podcast.
Fr. Ballester, who serves as a parish priest in Barcelona, was also accused of violating Spanish law in 2020 when a state prosecutor in Catalonia claimed that an article he wrote in 2016 titled “The Impossible Dialogue with Islam” met the criteria of a “hate crime.”
The priest wrote the essay in response to a pastoral letter by his superior, the archbishop of Barcelona, Cardinal Juan José Omella, titled “The Necessary Dialogue with Islam.”
In his rebuttal, Fr. Ballester said, among other things, that “Islam does not allow dialogue. For Islam, either you believe, or you are an infidel who must be subdued one way or another.”…
He is only stating the truth. Muslims know that they are “the best of peoples” (3:110), while non-Muslims are “the most vile of created beings” (98:6). They know that Muhammad himself said that “Islam is to dominate and must not be dominated” (Sahih Al-Jami 2778). And when a Muslim meets an Unbeliever who refuses to be subdued, he must “strike at his neck” (47:4). If non-Muslims are allowed to live in a Muslim polity, it is only if they agree to be dhimmis, with a host of political, economic, and social disabilities, including the onerous capitation tax known as the “jizyah.”
The Málaga court determined that Fr. Ballester’s remarks did not rise to the level of hate speech.
“No matter how despicable or perverse the message may be, or even if the statements may be clearly offensive or unfortunate,’ they do not in themselves constitute a punishable offense,” it said, according to Europa Press. The court also claimed his comments were “clearly offensive” and “unfortunate.”…
How unfortunate that the Malaga court, even as it suggested that Fr. Ballester’s remarks did not rise to the level of punishable hate speech, added that they were possibly “despicable or perverse.” Those remarks were neither. They were a truthful description of the texts and teachings of Islam.
Clergy in Spain have largely remained silent, however. Catholic News Agency has reported that Cardinal Omella “has only offered private words of support, without issuing a public statement.”
From Pope Francis and Pope Leo on down, many in the Catholic Church have either been silent on Islamic doctrines and atrocities, or misstated what Islam is all about. It was Pope Francis who said that Islam is a “religion of peace” and that the Qur’an “brings a message of peace,” and other such nonsense. Many Catholic clergy have been inveigled by Muslims to join a phony “interfaith dialogue,” which ends up with all the participants endorsing Islam. It’s not surprising that Catholic clergy did not come to Fr. Ballester’s defense. Cardinal Omelia of Barcelona offered words of support, but did so privately, apparently fearful that if he did so openly, he might anger the interfaith bloviators in the Vatican.
Nevertheless, this is a victory for Fr. Ballester, and for the truth. Let’s hope that judgment is not reversed on appeal. And hope, too, that many others in Spain will heed this brave priest when he speaks truthfully of Islam, even if his fellow clergymen, alas, will not.
Kuffar says
Truth is viewed as lies and evil as good, Jesus warned us this would be… Islam is the tool of Satan and the Muslims are the minions of Satan.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Looks like the Catholic church could have used this guy as the pope, rather than Comrade Leo
Isabella Hale says
What dung fest. I mean it. HE IS CATHOLIC PRIEST LIVING IN SPAIN.
He needs to save his pennies and the hell out of Dodge. NOW. As former Catholic (left when I was 18 and became a Christian, not that Catholics aren’t Christian.. there are Christians in the Catholic Church.. and apparently HE IS A CHRISTIAN CATHOLIC. I knew a man here in the U.S, brilliant scientist his name is Raoul (still alive even though older than me) he told me TO GET A PASSPORT: HIS FATHER WAS KICKED OUT SPAIN; then KICKED OUT CUBA and he came to America in 1963 around the time the first wave of Cubans came here who were the educated (as in doctor’s and engineers). HE SHOULD KNOW BETTER and GET OUT WHILE HE CAN.. as a Priest he has plenty of worldwide underground contacts.. believe me, I know this because my mother was a German Catholic raised by nuns pre WW2.. who kept in contact w/ her during her whole life. They still are in the cloistered monastery to this day. ISLAMIC TERRORISTS now have his name and his address.. so if I were THAT MAN I WOULD LEAVE ASAP. Pope Francis was a nut job.. and the Pope appears to be OK. not being Catholic and my family is all passed away who were Catholic.. I loosely keep track of the Catholic Church. I head about Pope Francis all that mumbo jumbo. he said he would baptize an ALIEN.. (as space Alien) and yeah.. Allah is God. All Christians and Catholics KNOW that ISLAM is death cult.
John Smith says
muslims don’t want none muslims to know the truth about islam. I wonder why.
James Lincoln says
Somebody please help to clarify this issue for me:
How can speaking the truth (objectively provable) ever be considered a hate crime?
Huh?!? says
Without lies Islam dies. It is commendable that he spoke the truth.
Tim gallagher says
A brave truth teller. I hope can stay safe. A parish priest is not going to have a security detail. No doubt plenty of Muslim scum will be out to get him.
jewdog says
Islam was invented by the Caliphs to control, justify and expand their imperial rule. To be a good Muslim, therefore, one had to be a loyal subject, willing to fight and die for the caliphate. Blasphemy punishments existed to squelch any dissent from imperial rule. In enforcing them, Western governments are unconsciously mimicking the caliphate mentality, perhaps subconsciously seduced by the sense of power that gives them. In reality they are pathetic dhimmis, manipulated by bygone empires and barbaric practices.
OLD GUY says
Islam is political not a religion in the sense that most other religions follow. Political Islam wants control over the world. And it is prepared to kill anyone that gets in its way. Islam is a pure dictatorship and commands total control over everyone and everything.