Monday, March 21, 2011

Some respect for free speech among the Swedish people



But precious little among the politicians who make the laws. Good thing he got a jury trial.
"A Swedish politician facing charges for producing a poster depicting the Muslim prophet Muhammad naked together with his nine-year-old wife was found not guilty by a jury in Malmö on Wednesday.

Carl P Herslow, leader of the Skåne Party (Skånepartiet), a small right-wing populist regional party, is charged with agitation against an ethnic group (hets mot folkgrupp). The poster included the text: 'He is 53 and she is nine. Is this the kind of wedding we want to see in Skåne?'.

Herslow admits producing the poster but contested the charges. He said the aim of the poster was to stimulate a debate about Islam, which he argued was incompatible with democracy and equality.

Prosecutor Bo Birgerson, representing the Chancellor of Justice (Justitiekanslern - JK) - the country's top legal official, who is responsible for prosecution of cases involving freedom of speech - said that the distribution of the poster showed disrespect to Muslims.

But after deliberating less than an hour the jury, which are only used in Sweden in freedom of speech cases, told the court that Herslow was not guilty of agitation against an ethnic group.

Source

Do you think Herslow would have been put on trial for a poster mocking Jesus Christ?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Do they have freedom of speech in Sweden, or is it simply the illusion of free speech like the US?

Anonymous said...

Free speech is always respected "except when..."

Anonymous said...

Everyone has free speech in America...Except for straight, white, Christian men. THEY are a hate group! No proof needed, just like Muslims, black, gays, etc., ect., ect. are automatically victims!

Anonymous said...

@Anon2:27- Compared to most other countries we still do pretty well on free speech. After all, Fred Phelps, Al Gore, and Al Sharpton can all say whatever insane crap comes outta their heads and avoid jail to this day, so I feel pretty good on the 1st Amenment. I do wish the rest of the Bill Of Rights was protected as strongly by the courts though.

Spurwing Plover said...

The swedish goverment tried to disband their military and have given fulling rights to animals Its so unfortunate for the sweedes to have a pussietard goverment