Four men were convicted in Spain Sunday in connection with the homophobic murder of a 24-year-old nursing assistant that sparked protests in cities across Spain and abroad. Samuel Luiz died in hospital after being assaulted by a group of people outside a night club in A Coruna in the northwestern Galicia region in July 2021. Diego Montaña, Alejandro Freire and Kaio Amaral were found guilty of aggravated murder, and Alejandro Míguez of complicity. Some 364 hate crimes related to sexual orientation or gender identity were reported in Spain in 2023, and 184 arrests were made, according to Interior Ministry data. The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights says only a fraction of hate crimes are reported.

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Persons: Samuel Luiz, Diego Montaña, Alejandro Freire, Kaio Amaral, Alejandro Míguez, —, Luiz Organizations: Ministry, European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights Locations: Spain, A Coruna, Galicia, Coruna