Defamation of an Ethnic Community by a Public Figure in Slovakia: When Terminology Matters for the Court
by Hanna Vasilevich
Question(s) at stake
Whether the term “Gypsy” together with the word “parasites” is defamatory when used in public space to refer to members of the Roma minority, including by politicians and public figures.
Outcome of the ruling
The Supreme Court dismissed the previous court decisions regarding the accusation that using the term “Gypsy” together with the word “parasites” in reference to the Roma minority amounted to the offence of defamation of nation, race, and belief.
Country:
Official citation
Supreme Court of the Slovak Republic in Bratislava, Judgement of 19 March 2013, 4Tdo/49/2012 (Rozsudok Najvyššieho súdu Slovenskej republiky v Bratislave zo dňa 19 marca 2013 r., 4Tdo/49/2012)
Topic(s)
Keywords:
Freedom of expression Hate speech National minority Race, colour and ethnic origin Defamation Antigypsyism
Tag(s):
Bibliographic information
Access case report
View case report in the CUREDI databaseAbout the authors
Hanna Vasilevich (International Centre for Ethnic and Linguistic Diversity Studies, Prague, Czechia)
Dr. Hanna Vasilevich worked in the European Centre for Minority Issues. She defended her PhD thesis on Belarusian National Identity at the Metropolitan University/International Relations Institute in Prague. Dr. Vasilevich actively participated in the social and cultural life of the Belarusian Diaspora in Prague, and also initiated the process to acknowledge Belarusians as a national minority in the Czech Republic. Her research interests include the issues of interethnic relations, minorities, equality and non-discrimination with particular emphasis on language and ethnic aspects. She has published extensively on Belarusian politics, history and culture.