Spain actor who blasphemed online indicted

A judge in Madrid has formally indicted a Spanish actor as a result of a lawsuit brought against him by a group of Christian lawyers who accused him of offending their religious sensibilities in a Facebook post in which he used a phrase implying he defecated on God and the Virgin Mary.

Guillermo "Willy" Toledo, who has publicly espoused left-wing causes, had been sued by the Spanish Association of Christian Lawyers (AEAC) after posting lively expressions on his Facebook page disparaging the Christian deity and the female semi-deity revered by Catholics.

"I s**t on God and I have s**t to spare to s**t on the dogma of the sanctity and virginity of the Virgin Mary," Toledo had written.

This was in reference to news of three feminist activists being prosecuted for offences against religious sentiments after they held a satirical procession of a giant "Holy Rebellious Vagina" (parodying the traditional solemn Easter processions seen around Spain).

"This country is an unbearable disgrace," the 48-year-old actor, a prominent atheist and left-wing activist, added.

After being summoned twice to appear in court to testify, Toledo was arrested at his residence on September 12 and spent 20 hours in jail before being released pending the judge's decision on whether to charge him with a crime against religious sensibilities.

Now the magistrate has decided to press forward with the case against the actor.

Article 525 of the Spanish criminal code still lays out the crime of insulting religious sentiments, including by deriding or ridiculing people's beliefs, rites and ceremonies.

Scatalogical or coprological references sound very harsh to English-speaking nations but are relatively common in Spanish slang.

Spain's 1978 Constitution defines the Mediterranean country as "non-religious".