Appeals Court Reduces Sentence for Danish-Swedish Politician Rasmus Paludan

Appeals Court Reduces Sentence for Danish-Swedish Politician Rasmus Paludan
……………..

Sweden’s Court of Appeal in Skåne and Blekinge has overturned the prison sentence for right-wing politician Rasmus Paludan, converting it into a suspended sentence with a fine. Paludan had previously been sentenced to four months in jail by Malmö District Court for hate crimes, including publicly burning copies of the Qur’an in April and September 2022 and making offensive statements targeting Muslims, Arabs, and Africans.

The appeals court ruled that the April incident constituted criticism of Islam rather than incitement against an ethnic group, acquitting him of that charge. However, it upheld the conviction for the September incident, finding that his statements were directed at specific ethnic communities and qualified as a criminal offense. Paludan, known for organizing Qur’an-burning demonstrations in Swedish cities, has sparked protests and unrest, particularly ahead of the 2022 elections.