Supreme Court approves dismissal of sergeant who urged king to carry out ‘coup’

Among the messages broadcast between 2016 and 2019, the first sergeant of the Navy accused the king of “surrounding himself with thieves”, described the president of the government as “irresolute and venal”, declared that the mayor of Madrid favored “Casinos and gaming halls illegally”called the judiciary “corrupt and dominated by acolytes of the far right” and called the National Court a “National Court”, according to the judgment reported by Europa Press.

The man claimed that he was the founder, prophet and high priest of a religion and religious organization created by him, called the “Brother of the Infidels of Crom”. And he insisted that in all his publications he spoke not as a soldier “but as a representative of a religion“.

The Supreme Court rejected his arguments, finding that the behavior for which he was punished “cannot in any way be protected by his right to religious freedom.” Thus, the magistrates rejected the appeal he had presented against the decision that the Minister of Defense adopted in March 2022 to impose a disciplinary sanction separation of service.

“Are ratings and reviewsof marked political importance, have nothing to do with the exercise or practice of any religion,” the court concluded.

“Very serious offenses”

In the ministry’s resolution, he was considered the author of “very serious offenses” for publishing statements “against the Crown and other constitutionally recognized institutions and bodies. He was also accused of repeated violation of “duties of political neutrality”.

The Military Chamber specifies that the sergeant recorded the videos in question in his office dressed in uniform and made remarks “in disdainful, insulting and offensive terms”, in addition to saying “serious accusations and disqualifications against certain constitutional bodies and civil authorities, whom he accuses gratuitously and generally of the commission of arbitrary and even illegal acts.

Likewise, it was considered proven that the sergeant had created a document entitled “Castings, Teachings and Revelations of P… 1 Prophet of Crom. Praise Crom and his Whore Mother”, which stands as the founding writing of the religious organization of the same name, founded by the sergeant himselfwho clearly identified himself as “military”.