Bulgarian Parliament passes amendments to the Penal Code incriminating incitement to discrimination

Policy Response DateApril 13, 2011 Country: Bulgaria Address: Sofia, Bulgaria General Type: Racist discourse Racism and discrimination phenomena: Extremism - organised Racist Violence, Anti-migrant/xenophobia, Anti-semitism, Islamophobia, Afrophobia, Arabophobia, Anti-roma/zinghanophobia, Religious intolerance
Groups affected / Interested in: Migrants, Refugees, Roma & Travelers, Muslims, Ethnic minorities, Religious minorities, Linguistic minorities, Majority, Asylum seekers, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender, Persons with disability Key socio-economic/institutional areas: Media, Internet, Political discourse -parties - orgs Hate speech/Racist Discourse Medium: Internet, TV Media, Radio, Public Discourse, Political Discourse, Newspaper, Printed Publication, Book, Other

On April 13, 2011, the Bulgarian Parliament adopted amendments to the Penal Code which provide for imprisonment or justify denial of a crime against peace and humanity.
The adopted on second reading text states that whoever in any way justify, deny or grossly underestimate the crime against peace and humanity, thus creating a danger to exercise violence or to create hatred against individuals or groups of people united by race, color, religion , descent or national or ethnic origin, shall be punished with imprisonment from 1 to 5 years,.
For incitement to such offense the penalty is imprisonment of up to 1 year.
MEPs adopted a prison sentence of 1 to 4 years and a fine of 5 to 10 thousand, and public censure for those who through speech, press or other media, through electronic information systems or using another way propagates or incites discrimination, violence or hatred based on race or ethnicity.
"Whoever uses violence against another or damages his property because of his race, nationality, ethnicity, religion or political opinion shall be punished with imprisonment from 1 to 4 years and a fine of 5,000 (2,500 euro) to 10,000 (5,000 euro)", provides a new text the Criminal Code.

Source: Vesti.bg, http://www.vesti.bg/index.phtml?tid=40&oid=3747331, Date of access: 21.10.2011.