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Sweden News
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Pastor Acquitted of Hate Crime
The November 16 Persecution and Prayer Alert reported that Swedish pastor Ake Green had appeared before Swedish Supreme Court on charges that he had violated the country's hate propaganda laws (for more information, click here). We are pleased to report that he was acquitted on November 29 of all charges. In his ruling, Supreme Court Justice Johan Munck said the court was obliged to follow European Union guidelines in handing down the acquittal.
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Swedish Pastor's Case Heard by Supreme Court
In June 2004, Pastor Ake Green was convicted of spreading hatred against homosexuals as a result of a June 2003 sermon. This conviction was overturned on appeal, but the prosecutor appealed to the Supreme Court. Green appeared before the court on November 9. The Court heard a recording of his sermon to determine whether it violated the country's hate propaganda laws. A ruling will be made at a later date yet to be announced. For more details on this story, click here.
(Source: Evangelical Fellowship of Canada)
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Update on Swedish Pastor
Sweden's Supreme Court announced on May 9 that it would review the acquittal of Pentecostal pastor Ake Green, who faced criminal charges over a sermon on homosexuality. In February, an appeals court threw out a conviction under Sweden's hate crimes law, saying it is not illegal to preach a personal interpretation of the Bible. Sweden's chief prosecutor Fredrik Wersaell then appealed to the Supreme Court. For more details, including a link a transcript of his sermon, click here.
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Case of Hate Speech Appealed to Supreme Court
In June 2004, Pastor Ake Green was convicted of spreading hatred against homosexuals as a result of a June 2003 sermon. This conviction was overturned by an appeals court in February 2005 (click here for details).
Today, March 9, it was announced by the Swedish news agency, "The Local" that the prosecutor is appealing the acquittal to the Supreme Court. Speaking to the press, Green can see benefits to the appeal. "If I am found not guilty in the Supreme Court it will send a strong signal to the legal profession and the rest of society," he said. If the Supreme Court convicts him, he intends to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. To read a transcript of the original sermon, click here.
