Prosecutors have requested a retrial for Luis Rubiales, the former head of Spain’s football federation, over his forced kiss on footballer Jenni Hermoso. They have raised concerns about the judge’s impartiality in the case, arguing that the trial should be conducted by a different judge to ensure a fair outcome.

The request comes after Spain’s top criminal court found Rubiales guilty of sexual assault and fined him 10,800 euros, but spared him jail time. This sentence was deemed lenient by feminist groups, as prosecutors had initially sought a two and a half-year prison sentence for Rubiales. Hermoso is also appealing the sentence, which cleared Rubiales and other defendants of coercion.

Prosecutors in their statement accused Judge Jose Manuel Fernandez-Prieto of restricting the ability of prosecutor Marta Durantez to pose certain questions and of disregarding some evidence. They also highlighted the “arbitrariness” of the sentence and the judge’s conduct during the trial, which was marked by interruptions and scolding remarks.

The forced kiss incident, which occurred after Spain’s women’s football team won the World Cup, provoked widespread criticism and led to Rubiales’ resignation from his position. The trial drew significant attention in Spain and made Hermoso a symbol of the fight against sexism and macho culture in sports.

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/6/spanish-prosecutors-demand-rubiales-forced-kiss-trial-be-re-run?traffic_source=rss