Sir, – It was concerning to read that Government officials "believe there is a general international principle that modern hate speech laws should include laws against the minimalisation or denial of genocides", and that "introduction of laws against genocide denial in other countries have been upheld by the European Court of Human Rights" ("Holocaust denial may become an offence under new legislation," News, December 18th).
However, this view is quite questionable. In its landmark 2015 Perinçek v Switzerland judgment, the European Court of Human Rights found a conviction for genocide denial imposed by Swiss courts violated the right to freedom of expression.
Crucially, the court was quite explicit in saying that there were no “international-law obligations”, nor a “customary international rule”, requiring Switzerland to criminalise genocide denial.
The Government needs to proceed with utmost caution before it ends up enacting ill-advised criminal laws on genocide denial, which will only disproportionately restrict freedom of expression. – Yours, etc,
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RONAN
Ó FATHAIGH,
Amsterdam,
The Netherlands.