Slovakia / Specialized Criminal Court/3T/21/2020 ECLI:SK:SSPK:2020:9520100157.1

Country

Slovakia

Title

Slovakia / Specialized Criminal Court/3T/21/2020 ECLI:SK:SSPK:2020:9520100157.1

View full Case

Year

2020

Decision/ruling/judgment date

Thursday, July 23, 2020

Incident(s) concerned/related

Incitement to violence or hatred

Related Bias motivation

Race/Ethnicity
Religion

Groups affected

Black people or of African origin
Muslims
Migrants
Refugees & asylum seekers

Court/Body type

National Court

Court/Body

Specialized Criminal Court

Key facts of the case

The case concerns online hate speech published on perpetrator´s Facebook profile. Hate speech targeted mainly Roma, but also migrants (it seems migrants of dark complexion or African origin) and Muslims. Perpetrator´s posts on Facebook also posessed and disseminated extremist materials referring to Nazi symbolics (images, Nazi music recordings etc.). The prosecution however only accused him of posession and dissemination of extremist materials, not of hate speech or incitement to violence and hatred.

Main reasoning/argumentation

The case does not contain any ellaborate argumentation, only presentation of evidence from the perpetrator´s Facebook profile. The case listed all Facebook posts that were subject of indictment. Most of them constituted hate speech or incitement to violence and hatred against Roma, Black people, migrants, refugees and Muslims. Some of the posts disseminated extremist materials (Nazi symbolics, etc).

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

The case did not bring any new clarifications or interpretations.

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

The accused was sentenced to 2 years in prison with probation of 4 years.

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

"Obvinený (...) je vinný, že od 01.03.2013 do 08.08.2017 (...) postupne sprístupnil a zverejnil rôzne extrémistické materiály, (...) najmä písomné, grafické a obrazové vyhlásenia, znaky, heslá, symboly, ktoré vyjadrujú národnostnú, etnickú a rasovú neznášanlivosť, nenávisť z dôvodu farby pleti, myšlienky a ideológiu národného socializmu - nacionalizmu a nacizmu (...)."

"The accused (...) has been found guilty of sharing and publishing various extremist materials, (...) especially written, graphic and pictorial statements, signs, mottos, symbols that express national, ethnic and racial intolerance, racial hatred and ideology of national socialism - nationalism and Nazism (...)."

DISCLAIMERThe information presented here is collected under contract by the FRA's research network FRANET. The information and views contained do not necessarily reflect the views or the official position of the FRA.