Gays 'more likely to rape'

2005-11-09 12:55

Stockholm - A Pentecostal pastor who denounced gays as a "cancerous tumor" on society has faced Sweden's highest court on Wednesday in a landmark case that tests the limits of free speech in the Scandinavian country.

Ake Green, 64, became the first clergyman convicted under Sweden's hate crimes legislation, which was modified in 2003 to include attacks against homosexuals.

An appeals court overturned the ruling earlier this year, but the acquittal was appealed to the Supreme Court by Sweden's chief prosecutor.

The case had attracted widespread international attention, with some religious groups saying a conviction would be a threat to freedom of religion and speech.

Others said an acquittal would open the door to fiercer attacks against Jews, Muslims and gays by right-wing extremists.

Homosexuals 'a deep cancerous tumor'

Before the start of the trial, Green said he was excited about going to court.

He said: "I'm grateful both to the chief prosecutor and the Supreme Court for hearing this. I wanted my message to be spread, and now it will be spread to the maximum."

In 2003, he told his congregation on the small island of Oland that homosexuals were "a deep cancerous tumor on all of society," and warned that Sweden risked a natural disaster because of leniency toward gays.

He also said gays were more likely than others to rape children and animals.

Sweden's chief prosecutor, Fredrik Wersall, said in his appeal that the sermon qualified as hate speech because it "expresses disdain against homosexuals, alluding to their sexuality".

The Supreme Court hearing was expected to last one day, but a ruling could take several weeks.

- AP