Leftist government stands for principle - Free Speech in Spain

This is shocking - a first in my lifetime. Jewish power to stop free speech has actually been pushed back - a big step. A Spanish court has just ruled that "Holocaust Denial" is free speech - ruling out jail terms for those who engage in it. Maybe I should have a higher opinion of socialist governments.

Spanish court rules out jail sentences for Holocaust denial

by Assaf Uni

Haaretz

Nov 11, 2007

"Spain's Constitutional Court ruled Thursday that Holocaust denial will not be punishable by imprisonment, saying it falls within freedom of speech. Spanish law had mandated a sentence of up to two years in prison for Holocaust denial. But the court, which deliberated on the case following the trial of a neo-Nazi activist, ruled that such a punishment was unconstitutional. "

Free Speech Victory in 'Holocaust Denial' Case

Institute for Historical Review

"In a victory for free speech in Europe, a high court in Spain has suspended a lower court conviction of a Barcelona book dealer for distributing publications that dispute Holocaust extermination claims.

On November 16, 1998, a Barcelona criminal court declared Pedro Varela guilty of inciting racial hatred and of denying or justifying genocide, and sentenced him to five years imprisonment and a fine of 720,000 pesetas (about $5,000).

On April 30, 1999, the Spanish press announced that the provincial court of Catalonia had voted to suspend Varela's conviction. The three judges of the Audencia court in Barcelona unanimously declared that the law under which he had been convicted may violate Article 20 of the Spanish Constitution, which guarantees the rights of free speech and free expression of opinion. Public skepticism about Holocaust claims, the three judges agreed, is constitutionally protected expressions of free speech.

The case now goes to the Constitutional Tribunal in Madrid. In the meantime, Pedro Varela's conviction is suspended, and he is free."