Lithuania / Kaunas District Court / Judgment of in the criminal case no. 1-384-240/2016

Country

Lithuania

Title

Lithuania / Kaunas District Court / Judgment of in the criminal case no. 1-384-240/2016

View full Case

Year

2016

Decision/ruling/judgment date

Friday, November 04, 2016

Incident(s) concerned/related

Incitement to violence or hatred

Related Bias motivation

Nationality

Groups affected

Migrants

Court/Body type

National Court

Court/Body

Kaunas District Court

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."

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