EU Home Ministers recognized unleashing of national and racial discord as crime

PanARMENIAN.Net - European Union Home Ministers agreed to recognize unleashing of national and racial discord as a crime in all 27 member-states of the Union. At the same they could not come to an agreement over punishment for denying Holocaust. The agreement states, incitement to hatred or violence towards any group on the basis of skin color, race, nationality or citizenship must be punished by imprisonment for at least one year. At the same time EU member-states have the right to launch criminal prosecution only in those cases, which are connected with breaking public order.



Punishment for rousing religious animosity will be compulsory only in those cases, which can be reduced to incitement of animosity on racial and national bases. In some countries parliament's approval will be necessary for ratifying the document. After the adoption of the agreement two years are given for bringing it in accordance with national legislation.



As the officials underlined, the text was prepared in a way, in order to remove under its action scientific researches and works of art about genocide. At the same time it includes possibility of criminal punishment for spreading "booklets, images and other materials" with intention to incite to hatred or violence.



Representatives of "European Net Against Racism" organization commenting on the agreement said that "the washy text" was necessary to avoid changes in legislation of a number of countries, which already have laws against inciting racism. However Germany was disappointed with the final agreement, which was aiming at prohibiting denial of Holocaust and Nazi symbols on the whole territory of the European Union. Those countries, which already have laws penalizing denial of Holocaust, will be allowed to leave their legislation unchanged. But others will not have to assist them. Great Britain, Ireland and Scandinavian countries protested against the unnecessary tough formulations in the document, explaining that they cannot break guarantees for freedom of speech. The final text includes a stipulation, which says that the document does not touch major legal principles, including freedom of expression and public associations, BBC Russian Service reports.