The International Press Institute and other Spanish journalism groups have voiced support for elDiario.es following a criminal complaint filed by Julio Iglesias over a January 2026 report.
The IPI stated in a release that the complaint has an “intimidatory character” and represents “a clear attempt to silence legitimate public-interest journalism”. The criminal suit followed elDiario.es’s January 2026 publication, produced with Univision, of accounts from two former domestic workers who accused the singer of sexual assaults in 2021 at his Caribbean homes.
Iglesias denies the claims and seeks financial compensation. Groups including FAPE, APM, CLABE, FeSP and SPM have called for the complaint to be archived and criticised the choice of criminal rather than civil proceedings.
The organisations warn of a chilling effect on investigative journalism and urge transposition of the European Parliament’s 2024 anti-SLAPP directive. The IPI has offered financial support to elDiario.es to cover legal costs.
