German court convicts man for insulting Islam (1 Viewer)

[withoutaface]

DUESSELDORF, Germany (Reuters) - A German court on Thursday convicted a businessman of insulting Islam by printing the word "Koran" on toilet paper and offering it to mosques.
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The 61-year-old man, identified only as Manfred van H., was given a one-year jail sentence, suspended for five years, and ordered to complete 300 hours of community service, a district court in the western German town of Luedinghausen ruled.

The conviction comes after a Danish newspaper printed cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammad -- sparking violent protests around the world from Muslims who saw the images as sacrilegious and an attack on their beliefs.

Manfred van H. printed out sheets of toilet paper bearing the word "Koran" shortly after a group of Muslims carried out a series of bomb attacks in London in July 2005. He sent the paper to German television stations, magazines and some 15 mosques.

Prosecutors said that in an accompanying letter Manfred van H. called Islam's holy book a "cookbook for terrorists."

He also offered his toilet paper for sale on the Internet at a price of 4 euros ($4.76) per roll, saying the proceeds would go toward a "memorial to all the victims of Islamic terrorism."

The maximum sentence for insulting religious beliefs under the German criminal code is three years in prison.

Source.

Fucking champion.

 

[volition]

That is very wrong, I can't believe he's getting jail time for that

 

[aussiebogan]

Hello Withoutaface,
Thankyou for posting that article on the www.boredofstudies.org forum. Though it has not received many replies, i am sure it will in the future.
When i read your article, i was stunned that a European country would jail someone for expressing thier right to freedom of speech. I only hope that as fair dinkum aussies, we give a chance to anyone wanting to express this right, and hope that we will stay united against any source of punishment for expressing this right. It is only then that we will be certain that the great aussie lifestyle and values will not be taken from our warm hearts.

 

[wheredanton]

Just as intelligent as the muslim extremists who blame the whole of the west for the actions of a minority of westerners.

 

[Silver Persian]

Well, I dont think the guy should have been jailed. But there is a line at which 'freedom of expression' becomes persecution.

 

[withoutaface]

Well, I dont think the guy should have been jailed. But there is a line at which 'freedom of expression' becomes persecution.

Racism/sexism etc are debatable, but attacking Muslims is not racism.

 

[Silver Persian]

No, it isn't racism, but going out of your way to make another group of people feel inferior is just as bad. I mean, if you have a legitimate criticism of the religion, you can discuss that, but writing 'Koran" on toilet paper is hate mongering without any academic justification.

 

[withoutaface]

Some people would say that what the clerics say is hate mongering without any justification.

 

[tempco]

It's a crime under German law. What an idiot.

 

[withoutaface]

He's an idiot yes, but the fact is that such laws shouldn't exist.

 

[Silver Persian]

Some people would say that what the clerics say is hate mongering without any justification.

Muslim clerics may well be inciting hatred, but does that make a German man inciting hatred any more acceptable?

 

[withoutaface]

No, but how many clerics have been locked up in Germany recently?

 

[Silver Persian]

Err...I wouldn't know. But once again, Muslims commiting crime and inciting hatred doesnt make it ok for other people to do the same. But yes, if Muslims are found to be directly inciting hatred and violdnece they should face charges.

 

[Pubert]

He deserves it and he is a complete moron. That guy got alot more jail time for attempting to write something factual about the holocaust, while people attempt to incite hatred daily for no beneficial purpose and get away with it (i am talking about everyone when i say this not just any paticular group).

 

[Captain Gh3y]

No, it isn't racism, but going out of your way to make another group of people feel inferior is just as bad. I mean, if you have a legitimate criticism of the religion, you can discuss that, but writing 'Koran" on toilet paper is hate mongering without any academic justification.

Talk about academic justification, doing something to Catholics in this country would be the epitome of academia!

 

[Silver Persian]

haha




hate mongerer

 

[speak]

Well that's disturbing!!!