Swedish neo-Nazi site charged with hate speech
Charges have been filed against the publisher of a website affiliated with a Swedish neo-Nazi movement for allowing a reader comment containing racial slurs to remain on the site.
The site is the online version of Nationellt Motstånd (‘National Resistance’), a quarterly print magazine put out by the Swedish Resistance Movement (Svenska motståndsrörelsen), one of Sweden’s most active neo-Nazi groups.
The comment was in connection to an article published in April on the subject of global finance. The comment, which was entitled "time is running out for the finance Jew", described the Jews as parasites, among other things.
As "Nationellt Motstånd" reviews reader comments before publishing them, the comment falls under the jurisdiction of Sweden’s libel laws.
Following a preliminary investigation, the Chancellor of Justice (Justitiekanslern – JK), has now concluded that the comment amounts to agitation against ethnic groups (hets mot folkgrupp), and has filed charges against the site’s publisher Emil Hagberg for violating Sweden’s press freedom laws.
Pär Öberg, the site's owner and author of the article in question, told The Local that "Nationellt Motstånd" regards the law as a "means to suppress dissenting opinion".
"Just like in North Korea it is unclear what is a breach of the law. Not even JK knows where the line goes," he said.
Öberg explained that the charge, which follows a similar charge against Hagberg filed in November 2010, will have no effect on the site's policy of monitoring comments on its articles.
"No because we would then have all sort of irresponsible comments," Öberg said.
"This comment concerned the financial power of Jews and we would very much like to see a discussion of the concentration of power maintained by Jews in the finance world," he said.
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The site is the online version of Nationellt Motstånd (‘National Resistance’), a quarterly print magazine put out by the Swedish Resistance Movement (Svenska motståndsrörelsen), one of Sweden’s most active neo-Nazi groups.
The comment was in connection to an article published in April on the subject of global finance. The comment, which was entitled "time is running out for the finance Jew", described the Jews as parasites, among other things.
As "Nationellt Motstånd" reviews reader comments before publishing them, the comment falls under the jurisdiction of Sweden’s libel laws.
Following a preliminary investigation, the Chancellor of Justice (Justitiekanslern – JK), has now concluded that the comment amounts to agitation against ethnic groups (hets mot folkgrupp), and has filed charges against the site’s publisher Emil Hagberg for violating Sweden’s press freedom laws.
Pär Öberg, the site's owner and author of the article in question, told The Local that "Nationellt Motstånd" regards the law as a "means to suppress dissenting opinion".
"Just like in North Korea it is unclear what is a breach of the law. Not even JK knows where the line goes," he said.
Öberg explained that the charge, which follows a similar charge against Hagberg filed in November 2010, will have no effect on the site's policy of monitoring comments on its articles.
"No because we would then have all sort of irresponsible comments," Öberg said.
"This comment concerned the financial power of Jews and we would very much like to see a discussion of the concentration of power maintained by Jews in the finance world," he said.
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