5 Men charged with stirring up hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation

This is going to be a landmark case - the first ever prosecution for this.
Personally I feel it is the right thing to do there is a line to be drawn in respect of 'freedom of speech' and this. Leaflets like this are bound to stir up feelings against the majority of law abiding ethnic minorities in this country who I am sure will welcome this as well.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukp...1296164998892A

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Hosted by Back to Google NewsTwo charged over homophobic leaflet
(UKPA) – 12 hours ago

Three men are due to appear in court charged with stirring up hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation in the first prosecution of its kind.

Razwan Javed, 30, and Kabir Ahmed, 27, are accused of handing out a leaflet called The Death Penalty? outside a mosque in Derby, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

The leaflet is understood to have called for homosexuals to be executed.

The pair will appear at Derby Magistrates' Court today charged with stirring up hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation.

CPS lawyer Sue Hemming said: "The charges relate to the distribution of a leaflet, The Death Penalty?, outside the Jamia Mosque in Derby in July 2010 and through letterboxes during the same month.

"This is the first ever prosecution for this offence and it is the result of close working between the Crown Prosecution Service and Derbyshire Police."

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A further two men charged here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...shire-12309666

Sorry but this is simply ridiculous - if you disagree with somebody you either ignore them or debate them, you do not take them to court for their opinions. Popular speech doesn't need protecting, its unpopular speech that needs protecting.

We're becoming more and more like the countries we always slander, just the other way around.

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Originally Posted by Catzsy

Leaflets like this are bound to stir up feelings

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So you're calling for our feelings to be regulated by the state? this is how ridiculous all of this is.

Well it will be an interesting case nevertheless. There is no verdict yet. I believe that the majority outweighs a minority when it comes to outright hatred of gay people and the case will do a lot more good than harm especially to counteract those who express the extreme opinions that all ethnic minorities are radical extremists. This is a good move as far as I am concerned.

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Originally Posted by Catzsy

Well it will be an interesting case nevertheless. There is no verdict yet. I believe that the majority outweighs a minority when it comes to outright hatred of gay people and the case will do a lot more good than harm especially to counteract those who express the extreme opinions that all ethnic minorities are radical extremists. This is a good move as far as I am concerned.

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So in other words, because you don't agree with their stance - to hell with freedom of speech, expression and thought?

Would it be a good move if it were you sitting in the dock for your views? I very much doubt it.

"Ahjaz Ali, 41, Umer Javed, 37 and Mehboob Hassain, 44, are accused of distributing threatening material."

ehhehehehehehhehehe

Lets hope they are found guilty :)

Shutting down radical expression by force and law rather than allowing it to be ridiculed and judged on a social level is what allowed the Nazi party to gain such a large underground following, just sayin'

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Originally Posted by -:Undertaker:-

So in other words, because you don't agree with their stance - to hell with freedom of speech, expression and thought?

Would it be a good move if it were you sitting in the dock for your views? I very much doubt it.

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I think you will find they are not being charged for their views but for publishing leaflets stating that homosexuals should be executed. What they say in the confines of their own home is their business.
@FJ I think you will find that the writtens propaganda against Jews and other minority groups was allowed and not acted upon so a different scenario.

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Originally Posted by HotelUser

Lets hope they are found guilty :)

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Quite ironic really, you want our soldiers to die in Afghanistan for 'freedom' (but won't sign up yourself) yet you're perfectly content with shutting down freedom of speech and expression back at home.

Double standards will not do.

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Originally Posted by Catzsy

I think you will find they are not being charged for their views but for publishing leaflets stating that homosexuals should be executed. What they say in the confines of their own home is their business.
@FJ I think you will find that the writtens propaganda against Jews and other minority groups was allowed and not acted upon so a different scenario.

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..so they are being charged for their views.

Why don't you just air your views in the confines of your own home? would you object to that? yes you would, again - just because you don't agree with this certain view doesn't mean you should shut down that view/take people to court for having that view.

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Originally Posted by -:Undertaker:-

Quite ironic really, you want our soldiers to die in Afghanistan for 'freedom' (but won't sign up yourself) yet you're perfectly content with shutting down freedom of speech and expression back at home.

Double standards will not do.



..so they are being charged for their views.

Why don't you just air your views in the confines of your own home? would you object to that? yes you would, again - just because you don't agree with this certain view doesn't mean you should shut down that view/take people to court for having that view.

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No need to be aggressive :P There is a great deal of difference between private and public conversations. If you spout racism in the street then you can be charged 'with incitement to
cause racial hatred' This is no different except it is aimed at inciting hatred of sexual orientation. I agree with both these laws and I have a right to do so. It is called 'freedom of expression'. I do not go around breaking the law doing it though.