On Wednesday, January 8, four men were sentenced to jail in Spain in connection with the brutal homophobic murder of a young gay man that took place in 2021, sparking nationwide protests and calls for justice.

Samuel Luiz, a 24-year-old nursing assistant, was killed on July 3, 2021, while on a night out with friends in the Galician city of A Coruña. While he was outside a nightclub by himself, Luiz was attacked by passersby, who later returned with a larger group to assault the victim while shouting homophobic slurs.

Luiz was taken to hospital, where he died the same morning. The homophobic murder sparked outrage across Spain, with large demonstrations taking place in several cities and calls for “Justicia para Samuel”.

At a previous hearing in November 2024, Diego Montaña, Alejandro Freire and Kaio Amaral were found guilty of aggravated murder, and Alejandro Míguez of complicity. The sentencing hearing took place on Wednesday when the first three men were given prison terms of 24 years, 20 years, and 20 years and six months respectively.

The fourth man, who allegedly did not hit Luiz, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for being an accomplice to murder.

In delivering the sentences, presiding judge Elena Fernanda Pastor Novo highlighted the severity of the crime and its broader impact, such as the pain caused to Luiz’s family, who experienced “significant psychological suffering beyond the pain inherent in the loss of a son and a brother”.

The judge noted that one of the perpetrators, Montaña, had shown “an absolute lack of empathy and a cruelty that warrant a more severe sentence”. The man had also threatened Luiz using homophobic language, saying: “Stop filming, or I’ll kill you, f*ggot.”

The judge stated that Montaña’s use of such language towards Luiz because of his sexual orientation “triggered a totally aggressive reaction against Samuel … (who was) pounced on and kicked and punched, mainly in the head and face”.

The judge also ordered the murderers to pay Luiz’s family compensation of €303,000. The sentence can still be appealed in Galicia’s high court.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez condemned the murder, saying: “It was a savage and merciless act. We will not take a step backwards when it comes to rights and freedoms and Spain will not tolerate this.”

Former Equality Minister Irene Montero commented on the sentencing, saying: “Today, four attackers have been sentenced for the murder of Samuel Luiz. Let’s not look the other way: LGTBIphobia that kills begins with comments or ‘jokes’ that are hateful, harmful and must be stopped.”