While most readers know about the recent free-speech trial involving Geert Wilders, another such trial is coming up in Austria on November 23. Pat Condell speaks about it in his latest video, forcefully defending free speech in contemporary Europe.
While the trial of Dutch MP and Islam-critic Geert Wilders has been creating a furor in the press, another high-profile trial of a critic of Islam in Austria -- Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff -- has been largely overlooked even though both trials have much in common. Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff, an Austrian citizen who has lived in Iran, Iraq, Libya and Kuwait, will stand trial on November 23 in Vienna, the country's capital. Similar to Geert Wilders, Mrs Sabaditsch-Wolff is accused of 'incitement to religious hatred' during a seminar she gave in 2009. The interesting fact about the seminar alleged to have been filled with hate-speech is that she mainly quoted verbatim from the Koran (Al Qur'an). However, it is not the text itself that is on trial, though it is filled with hate speech, misogyny and discrimination, but the woman who quoted the text in order to educate and enlighten her audience. While her detractors accuse her of being a self-declared expert on Islam, she has claimed no such status. However, having lived -- as a woman and mother -- in four Islamic countries and having read all relevant scripture (Koran, Hadith, Sunnah), she clearly knows what she's talking about. A lengthy interview with her about the past accusations and the future trial can be found at Europe News. It is in German but does have English sub-titles.
Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/300084#ixzz16E8KVVf2
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