A Madrid court has awarded agitator Luis Perez, better known as ‘Alvise’ on various social networks, 60,000 euros in compensation to ex-minister Jose Luis Abalos for tweeting photos taken without his consent in the garden of his home. The sentence ruled that the former socialist minister “suffered an illegitimate interference with his personal and family privacy rights, based on his image” and that he should be compensated, although the sentence is still under appeal. Peres has not said whether he will take the civil action to higher courts.
Jose Luis Abalos denounced Luis ‘Alvise’ Perez for a tweet he shared on his Twitter account in January 2021, when he had not yet been suspended by the social network. It was two photographs on the terrace of his house, illustrated with the message: “What about the mental health of a minister who spends all afternoon looking at caged birds?”. According to the court, it has been confirmed that the former citizens’ advisor used the images without the consent of the then minister and was distributed by various media.
The magistrate explains that the photos “have no public interest or relevance”, were taken in the politician’s “most private sphere” and are “completely unrelated to his public function” and are therefore “an illegitimate invasion of privacy.” The plaintiff is unjustified because they are taken strictly in the private sphere.” The magistrate also has no doubts about the message written by Perez: “It suggests that Mr. Abalos is suffering from mental health because he was looking at some birds or plants or whatever he thought was appropriate. This phrase is extremely shocking because it calls into question not only his mental capacity, but also his professionalism as a minister of Spain and therefore his prestige and reputation, an attack on his fame and dignity.
When it comes to quantifying the compensation that the former Ciudadanos councilor must pay Ábalos in the amount of €60,000, the judge explains that there was “massive dissemination of this content” as he had more than 223,000 followers on Twitter at the time. The magistrate considers that “€20,000 is a weighted amount for each act of illegitimate interference with his honor and image.” The magistrate means discrediting his work as a member of the government, as well as mass distribution in social networks and finally also distribution in other media.
From Twitter to Telegram
Luis Pérez, better known as ‘Alvise’ in his various internet profiles and public appearances, worked for Ciudadanos in the community of Valencia and as chief of staff to then regional deputy Tony Canto until the end of 2019. Since then and once his Twitter account. In February of this year, he focused his public activity, among other things, through the Telegram channel, where he collects almost 200,000 subscribers.
The channel, where he posts jokes, messages, videos and other content almost daily and in which, among other things, he blames the mandatory use of masks or vaccination against COVID, criticizes what he considers a “mafia”, both political and media and to the media. Launching far-right slogans against, among other things, immigration. Recently, he dedicated his channel’s broadcasts to the propaganda of the “strike” against the executive power of the coalition. In recent months, he has also released audios related to the numerous implications of the “Villareggio case.”
The photos of José Luis Abalos are only a small part of the messages he occasionally dedicates to the former minister, accompanied by pictures or hints about where and with whom he spent his last days. A practice that has spread to other politicians or public figures across the progressive spectrum, they post photos and publish details of moments outside of their respective public engagements.
A Barcelona court also indicted Perez for spreading the alleged false PCR test of Salvador Ila on Twitter. On his Telegram channel, he announces that he has won this lawsuit, although he has not yet published the decision.
Source: El Diario
