Europe News
Neo-Nazi ideas not illegal, Spain's Supreme Court says
Jun 3, 2011, 13:17 GMT
Madrid - Propagating neo-Nazi ideas is not a crime if they are not used to incite violence, Spain's Supreme Court ruled Friday.
The court acquitted four neo-Nazis who had appealed against a three-and-a-half year prison sentence imposed by a lower court.
The four, who had a far-right bookshop and publishing house in Barcelona, were charged with advocating genocide and belonging to an illegal association.
Neo-Nazi ideas 'deserved a clear rejection' and should not be propagated by the authorities, but freedom of expression also applied to 'offensive and unpopular' material, the court said.
Neo-Nazi ideas were illegal only when they clearly risked 'creating a hostile climate' which could lead to violence, the court said.
