EU poised to outlaw genocide denial

[jmc247]

Source: Jerusalem Post

After six years of debate, EU ministers are to vote Thursday on sweeping legislation to outlaw racism, xenophobia and the "denial of genocide," according to a spokesman for the European Council.

The measure is expected to pass, according to Friso Roscam Abbing, the spokesman for EU Commission Vice President Franco Frattini.

The legislation would criminalize the denial of genocide, but does not specify which historical events fall within that definition.

Read more: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1176152829542&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[no_hypocrisy]

1. If this legislation passes, it could be the dealbreaker for admission of

either Turkey (Armenian genocide) or Israel (Palestinian issues being claimed as racism and xenophobia).

[Massacure]

2. Israel shouldn't be part of the EU. It isn't in Europe.

[no_hypocrisy]

5. Agreed. But Israel is still asking anyway.

[sadiesworld]

3. Seems pretty Orwellian to me.

Creepy.

[endarkenment]

4. free speech not an issue? nt.

[iverglas]

8. often an issue

but not the trump card in every situation.

As I'm sure most of us know.

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. EU agrees new racial hatred law, but not blanket ban on Holocaust denial

European interior ministers have agreed to make incitement to racism an EU-wide crime, but have stopped short of a blanket ban on Holocaust denial.

The agreement makes it an offence to condone or grossly trivialise crimes of genocide - but only if the effect is incitement to violence or hatred.

The deal follows six years of talks, and will disappoint Germany, which pushed hard for a Holocaust-denial law.

Berlin has also had to drop a proposal for an EU-wide ban on Nazi symbols.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6573005.stm

[slackmaster]

7. Sounds like a conspiracy to keep Turkey out for good

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