Today’s news / Amnesty urges updates to Danish hate speech law
Copenhagen City Court on Nytorv in Copenhagen in January 2024. The vast majority of cases reported under Section 266 b never make it before a judge. (Archive photo). Photo: Søren Lorenzen/Ritzau Scanpix

Amnesty urges updates to Danish hate speech law

Amnesty Denmark’s report criticizes the outdated hate speech law, revealing 72% of cases don’t see a judge. The group urges updating the law to protect individuals, akin to Norway’s approach. Law professor Sten Schaumburg-Müller believes the high dismissal rate reflects non-criminal judgments by police and prosecutors but finds merit in clarifying the law for individual-targeted hate speech. Amnesty also calls for clarity between online and offline hate speech in the law. Schaumburg-Müller sees no ambiguity here, highlighting current laws punish public, not private, hate speech. Amnesty’s Dina Hashem calls for political action to fortify free speech and justice for hate speech victims.