Anti-gay hate speech in Iceland is not protected by the ECHR
The Second Section of the European Court of Human Rights has published its decision in the case of Carl Jóhann Lilliendahl v Iceland, in which it unanimously declared the application inadmissible.
The case, brought by a 74-year-old man, concerns a conviction in Iceland for anti-gay expression.
The facts
In April 2015, the municipal council of the town of Hafnarfjörður, Iceland, approved a proposal to strengthen education and counselling in elementary and secondary schools on matters concerning those who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
This was to be done in cooperation with the national LGBT association, Samtökin ‘78.
The decision was reported in the news and led to substantial public discussion, including on the radio station Ú.S. and on a subsequent online news article where one of the initiators of the proposal, Mr. Ó.S.Ó., criticised the radio show for what he described as allowing people to phone in and express “clear prejudice and hate speech” without…
The case, brought by a 74-year-old man, concerns a conviction in Iceland for anti-gay expression.
The facts
In April 2015, the municipal council of the town of Hafnarfjörður, Iceland, approved a proposal to strengthen education and counselling in elementary and secondary schools on matters concerning those who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
This was to be done in cooperation with the national LGBT association, Samtökin ‘78.
The decision was reported in the news and led to substantial public discussion, including on the radio station Ú.S. and on a subsequent online news article where one of the initiators of the proposal, Mr. Ó.S.Ó., criticised the radio show for what he described as allowing people to phone in and express “clear prejudice and hate speech” without…
