Lithuania / Kaunas District Court / Judgment of in the criminal case no. 1-384-240/2016
Country
Lithuania
Title
Year
Decision/ruling/judgment date
Incident(s) concerned/related
Related Bias motivation
Groups affected
Court/Body type
Court/Body
Key facts of the case
L.K. and V.K. were accused of incitement to discrimination, violence and physical violent treatment against a group of persons on grounds of nationality and social status (Article 170 (paragraphs 2 and 3) of the Criminal Code, because they displayed posters with the statement "SUDEGINK RUKLĄ DEPORTUOK VYRIAUSYBĘ IMIGRANTAI WELCOME!" ("Burn Rukla deport Government immigrants welcome") in public places.
Main reasoning/argumentation
The accused and experts had different interpretations of the text on the posters, therefore, the court decided that it could not be confirmed that the accused understood the content of the posters as incitement to violence, violent treatment, discrimination against a group of persons on grounds of nationality and social status
Is the case related to the application of the Framework Decision on Racism and Xenophobia, the Racial Equality Directive?
Key issues (concepts, interpretations) clarified by the case
For the crime of incitement to hatred it is required that person unambiguously and clearly shall point out one of the groups of persons described by law and to express his/her negative, contemptuous or degrading opinion, inciting and urging negative feelings, hatred of other members of the society against particular group of persons or a person belonging thereto, discrimination of such persons.
Results (sanctions, outcome) and key consequences or implications of the case
Both accused were acquitted
Key quotation in original language and its unofficial translation into English with reference details
"<...> pasisakantis asmuo nedviprasmiškai ir visiems suprantamai turi nurodyti vieną iš įstatyme apibrėžtų žmonių grupių ir išreikšti jos atžvilgiu savo neigiamą, niekinantį ar žeminantį požiūrį, skatindamas ir kurstydamas kitų visuomenės narių (jo viešų pareiškimų respondentų) neigiamus jausmus, neapykantą nurodytai asmenų grupei ar jos nariui, tokių asmenų diskriminaciją."
"<...> person unambiguously and clearly shall point out one of the groups of persons described by law and to express his/her negative, contemptuous or degrading opinion, inciting and urging negative feelings, hatred of other members of the society against particular group of persons or a person belonging thereto, discrimination of such persons."