Balearic Islands regional president Francesc Antich condemned, on Thursday, the execution of 37 Jews from the island of Majorca, off the eastern coast of Spain in 1691 by the Inquisition, according to the Associated Press. Antich told about 130 people at memorial service in the city of Palma, "We have dared to gather here to recognize the grave injustice committed against those Majorcans who were accused, persecuted, charged and condemned to death for their faith and their beliefs."
Spokeswoman Maria Royo of Spain's Federation of Jewish Communities said the group was unaware of any similar statements in recent history. She said no specific Inquisition killings were mentioned at a Madrid synagogue event in 1992 that was the nation's first to recognize "injustices of the past" against Jews. Michael Freund, whose Shavei Israel organization initiated Thursday's memorial, said, "I hope that this ceremony will become an annual event, and will inspire other [Spanish] regions to do the same."