Polish pop singer wins free speech trial in Strasbourg
A Polish pop singer who said the authors of the Bible were “wearied out drinking wine and smoking weed” has successfully appealed her conviction to the European Court of Human Rights.
Dorota Rabczewska, known as “Doda”, one of the country’s most famous artists, made the comments in 2009. The court ruled that she was exercising her right to free speech.
She ordered Poland to pay her €10,000 in compensation.
Doda had been convicted on the grounds that her remarks were deliberately offensive and showed contempt for believers. Appeals courts agreed, prompting her to appeal to the ECHR in 2013.
The justice said in its decision that its statements “may shock or disturb certain people”, but that they were protected by the European Convention on Human Rights as long as they did not incite hatred or hatred. religious intolerance.
He also said domestic courts had not held that his statements constituted hate speech or that they could fuel or justify violence, intolerance or hatred.
“Indeed, the domestic courts did not fully assess the broader context of the applicant’s statements, which were not intended to contribute to a serious debate on religious issues but were made in response to questions about his private life, in frivolous and colorful language. language intended to engage the interest of its young audience,” the court said.