Swedish court sentences activist to prison for insult of Muslims

[Lauren Taylor]

A SWEDISH COURT SENTENCE A DANISH ACTIVIST TO FOUR MONTHS IN PRISON FOR SAYING OFFENSIVE WORDS ABOUT MUSLIMS AND ARABS AND BURNING A COPIES OF THE QUR’AN, ISLAM’S HOLY BOOK, ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. HIS ACTIONS CAUSING OUTRAGE AMONG MUSLIMS, HOWEVER, BURNING RELIGIOUS TEXTS IS PERMITTED UNDER SWEDISH LAW.

RASMUS PALUDAN, LEADER OF THE DANISH POLITICAL PARTY STRAM HURS, WHO’S A CITIZEN OF BOTH SWEDEN AND DENMARK, HELD A POLITICAL RALLY IN THE SWEDISH CITY OF MALMO IN 2022 WHERE HE MADE LEWD REMARKS ABOUT ISLAM AND MUSLIMS.

A SWEDISH COURT SENTENCED PALUDAN THIS WEEK  FOR INCITEMENT AGAINST AN ETHNIC GROUP AND ONE CASE OF INSULT.

ACCORDING TO SWEDISH PENAL CODE, LEGALLY, INSULT IS A PERSON WHO VILIFIES ANOTHER BY AN INSULTING EPITHET OR ACCUSATION.

THE JUDGE PRESIDING OVER THE CASE SAID PALUDAN’S ACTIONS WENT BEYOND CRITICISM OF MUSLIMS AND THE ISLAMIC FAITH.

THE JUDGMENT STATED PALUDAN “EXPRESSED DISRESPECT FOR A PEOPLE GROUP OR OTHER SUCH GROUP OF PEOPLE WITH ALLUSIONS TO CREED, NATIONAL ORIGIN OR ETHNIC ORIGIN BY PUTTING BACON IN AND AROUND A QUR’AN AND THEN SETTING FIRE TO, KICKING AND SPITTING ON THE QUR’AN.”

LAST MONTH, THE CHAIR OF THE COURT, SAID: “IT IS PERMITTED TO PUBLICLY MAKE CRITICAL STATEMENTS ABOUT, FOR EXAMPLE, ISLAM AND ALSO ABOUT MUSLIMS, BUT THE DISRESPECT OF A GROUP OF PEOPLE MUST NOT CLEARLY CROSS THE LINE FOR A FACTUAL AND VALID DISCUSSION.”

PALUDAN DENIED THE CHARGES AND IS EXPECTED TO APPEAL THE DECISION.