David's Daily Diversions

Protecting European Free Speech

The story about the Swedish pastor jailed for offending homosexuals has made its way throughout blogdom, and it has also come to the attention of the Christian Democratic Party (KDH) in Slovakia.

According to the Slovak Spectator, Slovakia's English language newspaper, the party sees this as a free speech issue. The party chairman, and Speaker of the National Council (parliament), Pavol Hrušovský, said the sentence is a sign that torture based on anti-discrimination legislation has began. He plans to send a protest letter to his Swedish counterpart.

The problem is that his counterpart is not in a very strong position. While the KDH is in the coalition Slovak government, the Swedish Kristdemokraterna has only 9.5% of seats in the Riksdag and these are on the wrong side of the aisle.

Slovak Interior Minister Vladimír Palko (and deputy leader of the KDH) may be taking a better approach. He sees this an example of the tyranny of "leftist-liberal ideology" in Europe. He has met to discuss the issue with the Swedish ambassador, Cecilia Julin. I don't think it will make a difference, but at least it is addressing an official representative of the Swedish government. Palko told reporters afterwards, "I explained to Ms Julin that my position was like that of Martin Luther when he said: 'Here I stand, I can do no other'."

Palko also promised that, "with a KDH interior minister in Slovakia, no investigator will proceed against anyone in such a way.”

It's too bad every other European government is allowing this to pass unnoticed. I wouldn't be surprised if David Blunkett uses the Swedes as an example of best practice to promote his own hate speech legislation.

The Slovaks, however, are putting their legislation where their mouth is. A new Penal Code is making its way through the parliament. no longer contains the article on the "defamation of nation, race, and belief". Instead it introduces the new crime of "disturbing the practicing of religion".