Hungarian court rejects hate speech amendments

BUDAPEST (AFP) — The Hungarian Constitutional Court said Monday it rejected Socialist-initiated amendments of the country’s hate speech bill, calling them unconstitutional.

The amendments would cause the curtailing of freedom of expression, the court said in a statement.

“In a free and democratic society the expression of extreme and exclusive opinion does not endanger the foundations and operations of the society because by expressing such views, the discriminator confines itself to the periphery,” the court said.

The court stressed that in order to isolate voices of hate, political figures consistently have to take a stand against exclusion.

The Hungarian Parliament passed two amendments concerning hate speech with the sole support of the Socialist faction.

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Hungarian court rejects hate speech amendments
AFP