Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Lars Hedegaard Found Guilty

Update: Via Europe News, the Danish Free Press Society says that Lars Hedegaard will appeal the verdict, to the European Court of Human Rights if necessary.

Lars Hedegaard states:

The real losers today are freedom of speech and Muslim women. How can we speak up for them if we risk getting a state sanctioned label of racism?

The relevant section: § 266b of the Danish penal code:

"Whoever publicly or with the intent of public dissemination issues a pronouncement or other communication by which a group of persons are threatened, insulted or denigrated due to their race, skin colour, national or ethnic origin, religion or sexual orientation is liable to a fine or incarceration for up to two years.”


Lars HedegaardFor the last six months or so we’ve been covering the “hate speech” case against Lars Hedegaard, the Danish author and historian who was charged last year with saying bad things about Muslims, and then later acquitted. As I mentioned last week, the prosecution appealed the verdict to a higher court, and today the appeals court overruled the lower court and reinstated Mr. Hedegaard’s conviction.

Mr. Hedegaard has been fined 5,000 kroner (roughly $1,000) for being “racially offensive” about Muslim men.

Here’s the story from The Copenhagen Post:


Free Speech Advocate Guilty of Racism

High court overrules district court in case about comments about Muslim men


The Eastern High Court today fined Lars Hedegaard, the president of the Free Press Society, 5,000 kroner for making racially offensive comments in December 2009.

“Girls in Muslim families are raped by their uncles, their cousins, or their fathers,” and “When a Muslim man rapes a woman, it is in his right to do so,” were among the comments Hedegaard made during a 35-minute interview at a Christmas party with the author of the blog snaphanen.dk, who subsequently published the comments on the blog.

Today’s decision overturns a decision in January by the Frederiksberg District Court, which stated that while it found Hedegaard’s comments to be insulting, Hedegaard did not know that his controversial comments would be made public.

Last week Hedegaard published a book titled “Muhammeds Piger” (Mohammed’s Girls), in which he writes about issues such as discrimination in Islam and that the belief in predestination.

“Everyone is subject to Allah’s will, but he treats them differently — without stating any other criteria for the discrimination other than his own will,” the book reads.

Women are the main focus of the book, in which the author also expresses his joy over the victory of free speech, referring to the district court’s acquittal in January.


Hat tip and photo: Steen.

15 comments:

John Sobieski said...

It is really sad to watch the EU countries persecute their most patriotic citizens. These 'hurt feelings' laws are completely ridiculous. No wonder the Democrats in America are pushing them. Control the hecklers. Have the state do it!

Nick said...

How can a comment about what allegedly happens to girls in Muslim families be 'racially offensive'?

After all anyone can become a Muslim, it doesn't matter where you're from, or what colour your skin happens to be, or anything like that.

The only possible way a comment about Muslims can be racial in any way is if Islam itself is racially discriminating, and forbids people of certain races from becoming Muslims.

Is it?

If the answer to that question is no, Islam is not racist and is open to all, then no comments about Islam or Muslims can possibly be racial in any way whatsoever.

goethechosemercy said...

"When a Muslim man rapes a woman, it is his right to do so."
Let's repeat that.
Many, many, many times.

JS123 said...

How Europeans can tolerate living in such a society where you do not have the right to free speech is a mystery. You are all slaves for putting up with this. Welcome to the EUSSR.

B.B. said...

"Whoever publicly or with the intent of public dissemination issues a pronouncement or other communication by which a group of persons are threatened, insulted or denigrated due to their race, skin colour, national or ethnic origin, religion or sexual orientation is liable to a fine or incarceration for up to two years.”

Pedophilia is a sexual orientation. They should prosecute anyone who has ever publicly "insulted or denigrated" pedophiles under the same law. Nothing would get rid of these types of laws faster than their consistent application, as their inherently absurd and totalitarian nature would become crystal clear to the general public.

Profitsbeard said...

So, in effect, this law bans the Koran and Islam.

Go to it Danes!

Anonymous said...

"They should prosecute anyone who has ever publicly "insulted or denigrated" pedophiles under the same law."

Perhaps you have heard of the recent prosecution of Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff?

Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff was CONVICTED for "insulting" Mohammed as a pedophile - with the irony being that Elisabeth did NOT even say what she was accused of saying and then convicted of saying!

That is the point: pedophiles (and child rapists and molesters - and polygamists who, as a class, ALWAYS target child and teenage brides for polygamous "marriages") are now a protected class - most especially Muslim pedophiles - since Allah says it's all OK!

laine said...

Can you imagine the fanaticism of the prosecutors of this case who were determined to keep appealing until they reached judges sufficiently left wing to give the desired result? Prosecutors couldn't let the first acquittal lie and acted like Inspector Javerts as in Les Miserables determined to prosecute a non-crime in this case. These types of mean-minded fanatic petty bureaucrats are the cogs who willingly feed "wrong thinkers" into the meat grinders and gulags of totalitarian systems and glory in it. They are disgusting while thinking themselves fine fellows indeed, morally superior.

The legal systems of all western countries are disproportionately full of left wing lawyers and judges. The USA is no exception. Even the Supreme Court is hanging by a thread. If Obama gets to appoint one more leftist ideologue...

Reg T said...

Yet no one will seek to arrest a muslim who speaks out against the Jews. And if they did, no prosecutor would bring charges. What incredible hypocrisy these Europeans display. Even worse than here in Obama's Socialist America.

Elisabeth said...

I am once again baffled and saddened by this verdict, one which is as ridiculous as mine is. Kudos to Lars for appealing this insanity right away.

However, I think we have to start dealing with the fact that Islam is in fact according to PC MC a race, and that we must be prepared for more of these insane trials.

Egghead: according to my lawyer's latest info, it does not matter whether I said the P word, but tht I insinuated it. Is this insane, or what? The judge apparently knows what is inside my head and what I wanted to say and what I actually meant. I think she must know more than I do because even I sometimes do not what I mean... :-)

Lawrence said...

Speaking up for womens' rights, specifically Islamist women's rights, is hate speach...

... /facepalm.

.

laller said...

Reg T

Actually, a few years back, the leader of the Danish branch of Hizb ut-Tahrir was prosecuted and convicted for "speaking out against the Jews". So it does happen on occassion. Maybe not often enough, but it does happen.

As for Hedegaard, I believe his conviction is more in line with the law than his acquittal, which always felt "wrong" to me. I don't like the law as is, but as is a guilty verdict is correct.

gsw said...

§ 266b also allows non-muslims to 'be offended' by everything an imam ever says. Pleading that an imam only speaks to muslims - who will not be offended - will only work if nobody puts his speech on the internet.

Rejecting Mr. Hedegaard's defence that "he was not aware it was to be published" has now set a precedent:
The imam can no longer claim that his words were "not meant for the public".

However, the various justice departments will not act unless enough people complain loudly.
Until women sue for defamation, are insulted by deficient in intelligence and everyone acts 'offended' at the infringement of their rights - we will get nowhere.

Why do so few people vote?
@Elisabeth Sabatisch-Wolff:
Would you consider using your homepage to push for a higher voter turn-out in Austria?
Since it is no longer mandatory, the numbers have dropped below democracy-sustainment level.

While an imam can order thousands to vote for the shariah-compliant politician, and the muslims obey - we must use persuasion, and we will eventually lose if their opponents will not get out and VOTE.

Anonymous said...

Elisabeth: Yes. Insanity is all around us these days....

What is insane is that Mohammed WAS a pedophile and that his criminal actions are to be revered and imitated in perpetuity as the "model" for the ideal Muslim man.

What is insane is that I can say that in a Western nation but you cannot.

So, let me say it for all of the victims of pedophilia due to his ideas and actions:

MOHAMMED WAS AN EVIL PEDOPHILE.

What is insane is that, with the way that things are headed here in the USA, soon I will NOT be able to say it either....

JohnE77 said...

Re 266b

Can a lawyer please explain why 266b cannot apply to preachers of the Koran?

Non-believers, women, gays are all threatened, insulted and denigrated by the texts in the Koran.

Happy to donate to help covering fees to bring a test case.