Poland / I instance: Regional Court Poznan-Grunwald and Jezyce in Poznan / Ref. no. III K 109/16 / II instance: District Court in Poznan / Ref. no. XVII Ka 1098/16

Country

Poland

Title

Poland / I instance: Regional Court Poznan-Grunwald and Jezyce in Poznan / Ref. no. III K 109/16 / II instance: District Court in Poznan / Ref. no. XVII Ka 1098/16

View full Case

Year

2016

Decision/ruling/judgment date

Thursday, December 01, 2016

Incident(s) concerned/related

Incitement to violence or hatred

Related Bias motivation

Religion

Groups affected

Muslims

Court/Body type

National Court

Court/Body

I instance: Regional Court Poznan, II instance: District Court in Poznan

Key facts of the case

On September 12, 2015 during the football match, the accused used a loudspeaker and publicly insulted Muslims. He was encouraging other football fans to sing an insult song about Muslim refugees using words commonly considered as vulgar, which they did.

Main reasoning/argumentation

The Regional Court established that the crime fell under Article 257 of the Criminal Code (public insult to a group of people or an individual because of their nationality, ethnic origin, race or religion). The Court was not convinced by the defender of the accused that when singing about "Islamists" he was referring to Muslim terrorist only and not to Muslims in general. The District Court upheld the ruling.

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

Results (sanctions, outcome) and key consequences or implications of the case

The accused was sentenced to 7 months of the restriction of liberty and 20 hours of the community work every month during this period.

Key quotation in original language and its unofficial translation into English with reference details

"(...) użycie w przyśpiewce słowa "islamista" a nie "terrorysta" dobitnie wskazuje na chęć znieważenia i poniżenia przez oskarżonego grupy osób, jako wyznawców islamu, co potwierdza również druga część zawartego w przyśpiewce zdania odnosząca się do uchodźców, pomiędzy którymi, a osobami wyznającymi ideologię opartą na fundamentaliźmie islamskim, w imię której dopuszczają się aktów terroru, znaku równości postawić nie można."

"(...) the use of the word "Islamist" rather than "terrorist" in the song, clearly indicates the intention of the accused to insult and humiliate the group of people who are Muslims. It is also confirmed by the second part of the song, referring to the refugees, between whom and the Islam fundamentalists, in the name of which they commit the acts of terror, the sign of equality cannot be put."

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