Swedish court sentences Paludan to jail

The Malmö District Court in Sweden sentenced Rasmus Paludan, the founder of the Stram Kurs party, to four months in prison for hate speech against Muslims, as stated in the judgment acquired by Ritzau. Paludan was charged for inciting hatred against a populace group. He was specifically tried for questioning the moral conduct of individuals striving to emulate Muhammad. The court concluded that Paludan’s remarks on two occasions in Malmö in 2022 expressed contempt towards Muslims and were not protected as criticism of Islam or political campaign work. Former judge Nicklas Söderberg clarified that while criticism of Islam or Muslims is permissible, it should not blatantly override the boundaries of a substantive and valid discussion. The sentenced was partially influenced by Paludan’s past conviction in Denmark for similar offenses in September 2021. Paludan intends to appeal the Swedish verdict. The case involved the presentation of videos where Paludan spoke about Muslims and the Qur’an.