Municipal councillor charged with violation of freedom of worship and incitement to racial hatred

Alert DateAugust 25, 2009 Country: Finland Address: Helsinki General Type: Racist discourse Racism and discrimination phenomena: Anti-migrant/xenophobia, Islamophobia, Afrophobia
Groups affected / Interested in: Muslims, Ethnic minorities Key socio-economic/institutional areas: Media, Internet, Political discourse -parties - orgs Hate speech/Racist Discourse Medium: Internet
Victims Data
Victims Nationality/Ethnic Origin N/A
Victims Gender N/A
Victims Age N/A
Victims Number N/A
Fatalities - deaths N/A
Perpetrators Data
Perpetrators Nationality/Ethnic Origin Finnish
Perpetrator Gender Male
Perpetrator Age 36-45
Perpetrators Number 1
Extremist/Organised Group Violence No

Jussi Halla-aho, a Helsinki councillor, is being charged at the Helsinki District Court with violation of the freedom of worship and incitement to racial hatred. The charges were sparked by Halla-aho’s Internet blog writings more than a year ago.

In his blog entry, Halla-aho made two statements that violated the law, the prosecutor said. In one of the entries Halla-aho linked Islam to paedophilia, and in another he commented that spongeing off taxpayers could be one of the genetic features of the Somalis.

According to the prosecutor, Halla-aho publicly insulted and disgraced things that the Islam communities regard as sacred. Halla-aho’s remark concerning the Somalis was discriminatory and strongly generalised, insulting their human dignity, the prosecutor noted.

”This is bigotry-related xenophobic demagogy”, declared district prosecutor Simo Kolehmainen, who is to conduct the case, even though the charges against Halla-aho were initially pressed by Deputy Prosecutor General Jorma Kalske.

In the prosecutor’s opinion the court should consider passing a suspended prison sentence, if the defendant is found guilty as charged. However, prison sentences are very rare in connection with crimes involving freedom of speech. In such cases the court normally imposes a pecuniary penalty following a guilty verdict.

Halla-aho pleaded not guilty, responding to the charges without a lawyer. In Halla-aho’s view, the prosecutor had misinterpreted his Internet blog writings, taking extracts from the factual texts inappropriately. The purpose of his writings was to discuss freedom of speech sarcastically, while commenting on the fact that the media and authorities treat people unequally, Halla-aho argued. The remarks about Islam and Somalis were just illustrative examples, Halla-aho claimed.
        
Last autumn, the national women’s organisation of the Green League Party Vihreät Naiset (“Green Women”) filed a report of an offence against Jussi Halla-aho over his Internet blog writings, in which he talked about immigrants and rapes. While investigating the matter, the police read Halla-aho’s blog a little more thoroughly, and eventually the actual charges were pressed as a result of another piece of writing.

Source:

Helsingin Sanomat - International Edition: Helsinki councillor Jussi Halla-aho attracts dozens of supporters to courthouse (26.8.2009) http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Helsinki+councillor+Jussi+Halla-aho+attracts+dozens+of+supporters+to+courthouse/1135248817048