The International Press Institute (IPI) today outlines our support for leading Spanish online news outlet elDiario following the criminal defamation lawsuit filed by singer Julio Iglesias in connection with its reporting on allegations of sexual assault.
The criminal lawsuit is a clear attempt to intimidate journalists and silence legitimate public interest reporting. It also represents a major test of the legal safeguards for media freedom and the rights of journalists to report on public figures in Spain.
On 21 July, Iglesias filed the lawsuit against the media outlet, its editor-in-chief Ignacio Escolar, and journalists María Ramírez, Juan Luis Sánchez, Ana Requena and Elena Cabrera.
The criminal complaint stems from a report published by elDiario.es in January 2026, in collaboration with U.S Spanish‑language television network Univision, in which two former female employees publicly accused Iglesias of sexual assault. The alleged incidents occurred in 2021 while the two women worked as live-in domestic staff at the Spanish singer’s Caribbean mansions. Iglesias strongly denies the allegations.
In March 2026, Iglesias’ legal team filed a conciliation lawsuit in Spain seeking to have the articles removed online. As part of that legal process, elDiario defended its investigative reporting, stressed it has followed professional journalistic standards in verifying information, and rejected the demand to retract the story.
In response, the world-famous singer then filed a criminal lawsuit, branding the story a “journalistic fabrication” and suing the media outlet for defamation, insult and damage to his moral integrity. The lawsuit states its intention to seek “significant financial compensation” from the defendants, though the exact sum has not been yet outlined in the case files.
IPI Executive Director Scott Griffen said: “IPI and our global network stand firmly behind elDiario and its reporting, which was conducted over a period of three years and with the highest journalistic standards. By filing in criminal court rather than through civil proceedings, this lawsuit is clearly intimidatory in nature and will have a chilling effect on investigative reporting and the exercise of a free press in Spain.
“This is a major test of legal protections for media freedom in Spain. It also serves as another reminder of the urgent need for the full decriminalization of defamation within the Spanish criminal code, in line with European and international standards on freedom of expression – a reform IPI has long called for.”
Major test for media freedom
elDiario.es is one of Spain’s leading online news outlets and is considered a leading source of independent journalism in the country. The media outlet has stressed that all possible steps were taken to verify the information provided by the two women ahead of publication. Repeated requests for comment from Iglesias to the allegations before publication went unanswered.
Iglesias has accused the media outlet of knowingly distorting information in a way his lawyers claim violates the singer’s fundamental rights to honour, image and privacy. elDiario has stressed that jurisprudence of the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court protect truthful journalistic reporting on such matters of public interest.
Under the Spanish law, defamation remains a criminal offence under Article 205 of the Criminal Code and is punishable with a fine or, in serious cases, prison sentences of six months to two years. To prove the defamation claim, Iglesias’ legal team must show that the journalists knowingly published false information and demonstrated a “reckless disregard for the truth”.
Iglesias’ legal team chose not to sue investigation partner Univision, which is based in the U.S, where free speech and constitutional safeguards protect media from facing criminal defamation lawsuits and set a high bar in civil proceedings.
IPI will continue to closely monitor proceedings and has offered elDiario financial support for legal fees to help reduce the costs of what are likely to be lengthy legal proceedings.
IPI welcomes the support offered to elDiario by domestic media organisations such as and the Federation of Associations of Journalists of Spain (FAPE) Madrid Press Association (APM) and hopes to see additional solidarity from the professional Spanish media community.
Reforms in 2015 partially decriminalized defamation in Spain for minor insult and libel cases, removing Article 620(2) and shifting lesser cases to the civil sphere. However, defamation and serious insult remain within the Penal Code.
International media freedom and freedom of expression groups have long called for the full decriminalization of defamation in Spain, in line with case law under Article 10 of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and recommendations of international human rights bodies such as the Council of Europe.
IPI stresses that European standards make clear that partial or status-based approaches to decriminalization of defamation are insufficient to protect freedom of expression effectively. As long as defamation remains a criminal offence, it produces chilling effects on journalists and other public watchdogs.
* María Ramírez, the deputy managing editor at elDiario.es and one of the defendants named in the lawsuit, is a member of IPI’s Executive Board
This statement by IPI is part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and Candidate Countries
