Wednesday, November 28, 2007

A Free-Speech President!

Hungarian President vetoes Leftist hate speech bill:

"President Laszlo Solyom has sent the hate speech bill to the Constitutional Court for preliminary review, as he believes it is unconstitutional in several respects, his office said Tuesday.

The planned amendment would introduce penalties for insulting anyone because of their ethnic background, world view, sexual orientation or other personality traits.

The President holds the position that members of insulted groups and certain organisations could launch "tens of thousands" of lawsuits over a single insult, so that the total compensation payable would disproportionately limit freedom of speech. He also objects that those who are not part of any ethnic minority would not receive equal protection under the law.

Source