• 2012/10/28

A hefty financial fine for the internet comment

The European Human Rights Foundation was glad to receive a piece of information concerning  the fine that has been issued as for the anti-internet-violence campaign that has ran for over a year.  For the first time the court of justice issued a warrant, based on the Foundation’s appeal to the General Prosecution, according to the Article 170 act 3 of the Penal Code. The warrant deals with the matter of public incitement to violence against the people of different nationality. District court in the city of Szawla issued a warrant for one of the city’s inhabitants- D.P.who, after reading the article from website www.lrytas.lt called “ Nationalists from Warsaw will come defend Poles”, published his comment: “ Give Poles back their corral, let them fight with Gypsies, so that  both of the parties are gone, we don’t need these outcasts in Lithuania.” That was the way in which D.P. urged everybody to violence, to crack down people who are of  different nationality.

District court in the city ofSzawladecided to fine D.P. for his comment with the amount of  1040 LT. During the investigation process D.P.’s computer had been confiscated as a crime tool. After the warrant will have come into force the computer will be given back to the owner. D.P. pleaded guilty to the accusation but he also said that he was not aware and did not mean what he was writing in nationalistic terms and did not expect it would have had such a tremendous impact. Despite sincere remorse and lack of criminal record, the district court recognized D.P. as guilty and meted out the highest financial fine suggested by the prosecutor.

It is worth mentioning that so far it was one of the highest fines ever dispensed for such a comment  (more information on that topic (http://www.efhr.eu/2012/09/18/the-european-foundation-of-human-rights-campaign-on-the-case-of-inappropriate-comments-is-still-in-progress/?lang=en; http://www.efhr.eu/2012/03/15/first-penalty-for-comments/?lang=en).

All in all, there have already been 9 financial fines for such commentaries that were issued by the European Human Rights Foundation (The Foundation has issued over 230 applications in that matter)  to the General Prosecution. These applications are to stop those people who feel at ease with infringing on human dignity and right or even with urging to kill. (http://www.efhr.eu/2011/08/18/european-foundation-of-human-rights-reported-a-dozen-or-so-cases-of-the-initiation-of-criminal-proceedings/?lang=en).

By issuing these applications, people from the Foundation want to make the government of the countries acute to such problems and any implications connected with such actions as the one mentioned in this article. Governments in all countries cannot be oblivious to hatred displayed in their people.  The results of such an attitude can be seen for instance in opinion polls, which significantly tell that negative campaigns of the politicians and media towars national minorities is displayed in the Lithuanian society. (http://www.efhr.eu/2012/01/06/efhr-took-notice-seriously-of-the-survey-published-in-the-issue-of-iq-on-january/?lang=en).

The European Human Rights Foundation would like to thank all these people who provide us information concerning any actions that are against the law. Without your help, such a tremendous success wouldn’t be possible. We encourage you to cooperate with us!

Tłumaczenie Emilia Borkowska w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Emilia Borkowska within the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.

[wpfilebase tag=file id=170 /]

Related post

Welcome to the newest member of our team, Dariusz Zagrodzki!

Welcome to the newest member of our team, Dariusz Zagrodzki!

Dariusz Zagrodzki successfully completed his law studies with honors. Currently, he is a lecturer in the…
We invite you to read the latest publication which provides an overview of the situation of national minorities in Lithuania

We invite you to read the latest publication which provides an overview of the situation of…

European Foundation of Human Rights volunteer Oksana Baitala prepared the overview „Prospects of inclusion national minorities…
Practical Guide How To Protect Your Rights in Lithuania, presented by Oksana Baitala, a volunteer at the EFHR, at the seminar held at the Ukrainian centre

Practical Guide How To Protect Your Rights in Lithuania, presented by Oksana Baitala, a volunteer at…

“Just recently arrived in Lithuania? Or have been living here for a couple of years or…