Jomshof will not be prosecuted according to SD's toughened incitement law

Published 17 September 2024 at 11.45

Law & Justice. After tightening the law on incitement against an ethnic group in May this year, it seems that the chairman of the justice committee, Richard Jomshof (SD), will himself be charged with incitement against an ethnic group. But because he committed the acts shortly before the party's new law came into effect, he will be charged under the earlier, milder provision.

Share Article

TwittraShare

This spring, the Riksdag pushed through an extension of the law on incitement against ethnic groups in accordance with a proposal from the justice committee, where Richard Jomshof is chairman.

The Sweden Democrats participated in voting through the law and in the preparation in the justice committee the party did not reserve against any part of the Act itself, but felt that it should be followed up after ten years. SD shared the government's assessment that the provision needed to be tightened.

The criminal charges against Richard Jomshof relate to two X posts criticizing Muslims, which he shared on May 28 this year. It was six days after he had participated in and voted through the tightened law in Sweden's Riksdag, but just over a month before the tightening of the law came into force, which only happened on July 1 this year.

The tightening meant among other that individuals in “protected groups” are given special privileges, plaintiff status and the right to damages from those who publicly criticized them. Protected groups include Jews, Gypsies, Muslims and other peoples who may not be publicly criticized.

Since the divisions took place before July 1, 2024, however, Richard Jomshof does not run the risk of having to pay damages to offended Muslims himself.< /p>

Nor does he run the risk of having to face an energetic plaintiff's attorney in court, that is, a woman who sits as an attorney for the protected group and assists the prosecution at the taxpayers' expense.

This will on the other hand, whoever criticizes Muslims after July 1, 2024 will be allowed to do so, in accordance with Jomshof's and SD's new legislation on incitement against ethnic groups.