Nationalist politicians cleared of racism

16.05.2007

Public prosecutors will not bring charges of racism against twelve members of the Danish People's Party before the district court

District prosecutors have decided not to bring racism charges against high-ranking members of the nationalist Danish People's Party, including leader Pia Kj熳sgaard, reported Politiken newspaper.

Prosecutor Karsten Hjorth said Tuesday that the evidence presented to him by 66 citizens, which consisted of numerous public comments made primarily against Muslims, was insufficient to support a charge of racism.

'I have determined that the reported statements all fall within the allowable boundaries of politicians' freedom of speech,' said Hjorth, who found that all the comments were directly related to specific events or facts.

Besides Kj熳sgaard, the most quoted members of the Danish People's Party were MEP Mogens Camre, MP S鷨en Krarup and former party MPs Louise Frevert and Morten Messerschmidt. Among the comments included in the charges were that [color="Navy"]Muslims were invading Western countries with an eye to kill and that the men were out to rape Danish women.

Vagn Greve, law professor at the University of Copenhagen, agreed with some of Hjorth's assessments, but not all.

'I think the worst of the comments presented are at the same level as others that have previously led to guilty verdicts and fall within the categories of insult and degradation.'

The 66 citizens - which included a few well-known media personalities - indicated in their press release that the public prosecutor has made it 'impossible for the courts to decide where the line between propaganda and actual political debate ought to be in relation to conventions and national laws'.

Kj熳sgaard said that the charges were an example of how people misuse the anti-racism legislation.

'I'm being reported for not disassociating myself from what I said. I think its worrying that [color="navy"]politicians and the press use so much time on restricting free speech,' she said.

The citizens group will now appeal the prosecutor's decision to the district attorney's office.

http://www.cphpost.dk/get/101694.html