The ministry of interior affairs for the European Union has agreed to recognize incitement of nationalist and racist hatred as a crime The ministry of interior affairs for the European Union has agreed to recognize incitement of nationalist and racist hatred as a crime in all 27 countries of the bloc, but was unable to reach an agreement over the punishment for Holocaust denial. The agreement stipulates that both incitement of hatred or violence towards a particular group based on the color of their skin, race, nationality, or citizenship should be punishable by a jail sentence of up to one year. Nevertheless, countries joining the EU are only to be given the right to begin judicial proceedings in the instance of a threat to civil order. Prosecution for religious hatred will only be guaranteed if it can be proven that it is linked to national or racist persecution. An official noted that the text is worded in such a way as to remove scientific research and artistic works about Genocide from EU control. That said, the new resolution does contain measures to prevent the distribution of �leaflets, posters and other such materials� with the intention of provoking hatred or violence, remarked the BBC. However, the resulting agreement caused disappointment in Germany, where they sought to ban Holocaust denial and Nazi symbols across the whole of Europe. Further still, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia insisted that the EU took measures to prevent Stalinist crimes from being excused, denied or dismissed. These objections were based on the fact the crimes of Stalin�s regime were against the law and should be considered genocide. Source: Izvestia
The ministry of interior affairs for the European Union has agreed to recognize incitement of nationalist and racist hatred as a crime
Nevertheless, countries joining the EU are only to be given the right to begin judicial proceedings in the instance of a threat to civil order. Prosecution for religious hatred will only be guaranteed if it can be proven that it is linked to national or racist persecution.
An official noted that the text is worded in such a way as to remove scientific research and artistic works about Genocide from EU control. That said, the new resolution does contain measures to prevent the distribution of �leaflets, posters and other such materials� with the intention of provoking hatred or violence, remarked the BBC.
However, the resulting agreement caused disappointment in Germany, where they sought to ban Holocaust denial and Nazi symbols across the whole of Europe. Further still, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia insisted that the EU took measures to prevent Stalinist crimes from being excused, denied or dismissed. These objections were based on the fact the crimes of Stalin�s regime were against the law and should be considered genocide.
Source: Izvestia
