Lawsuit filed in Slovak defamation case

07 November 2001

On October 22, 2001, advocates filed a criminal complaint against Mr K.B. of the publishing house L.C.A. Levice on grounds that he may have committed the crime of defamation of nation, race or belief under Slovak Criminal Code Article 198. Mr K.B. is the publisher of a book entitled Tales for Misbehaved Children and Their Concerned Parents, by Dusan Taragel and Jozef G. Danglar, a book currently in its 3rd edition. Page 124 of the book instructs parents that they may wish to respond to children who refuse to greet others politely in the street by telling them, "If you don't greet others politely, I will give you to the Gypsies to make you into sausage." As of December 5, 2001, the complaint was pending. A civil complaint in connection with the same case was also pending as of that date.

(ERRC)