Vassilis Tsiartas: He was sentenced for a transphobic post – First decision to implement the anti-racism law

10 months in prison and 5,000 euros for public incitement to violence or hatred due to gender identity

The Single-Member Misdemeanor Court of Athens sentenced Vassilis Tsiartas to 10 months in prison and a 5,000 euro suspended fine for a transphobic post he had made in 2017.

The lawsuit was filed by the Transgender Support Association, through its president, Marina Galanos, while by the same decision of the Court, he was sentenced to 7 months in prison with suspension and a second person was sentenced to transphobic insults after the post.

The conviction of the former footballer is the first decision to apply the anti-racism law for public incitement to violence or hatred based on gender identity.

It is recalled that Vassilis Tsiartas, after the passing of the bill on gender identity, had mentioned in his post on Facebook that: “I wish that the first gender changes will be made to the children of those who voted for this disgrace. Let’s see with what pride they will be released. PS: Legalize the pedophiles too, complete the crimes.”

After the first unacceptable post and the strong reactions that were caused, he had come back with a new statement.

Here is the second post (spelling preserved): “Regarding some people who send me messages in my inbox without being my friends and tell me what a problem I have with gay and same-sex couples, I have the following to say to them: Anyone can he has his preferences whether he is a man or a woman and I completely respect that. For me, however, a couple is only a man and a woman, the rest are JUST TOGETHER. I’m not going to accept all the weddings, all the parades and anything else they do as normal. Of course, the fact that they want to have children as well as going out in public to demonstrate it is beyond me. At home, everyone can do what they want. And those who don’t agree are racists and various such abominations should be said elsewhere. Dignity exists beyond the aesthetics of each person. God created Adam and Eve. The rest were manufactured for consumption.”