5 ms·

In Croatia, people have been fined for writing ACAB (on Twitter or Facebook), as well as "1312". One journalist has been arrested for publishing satirical song

In Croatia, people have been fined for writing ACAB (on Twitter or Facebook), as well as "1312". One journalist has been arrested for publishing satirical song deemed to "insult the nation". Many judges favorite pastime is extorting money from newspapers and journalists through the lawsuits on account of causing them "mental distress" with their articles. And police will readily punch the phone out of your hands if you try to record them, citing GDPR. Often times people on HN will proudly proclaim how Europe has a "different view on free speech" - really, you don't have to remind us.

space_fountain 4y ago
Literally a 30+ year jail sentence vs fines. Like don't get me wrong, that seems bad, but not really on the same level
- balfirevic 4y ago
  > but not really on the same level It's not, of course. It wasn't my intention to portray it at such (which is why I didn't pile this on as a top level comment). I did think it was interesting to bring up readily available examples that show we're not done with (pretty open) authoritarianism, even in EU countries. I guess it's similar reason why jfax commented about UK tweet jailings.
  - space_fountain 4y ago
    Fair, sorry for the sort of attacky reply. I think there's an urge sometimes when presented with human rights abuses in other countries to point to hypocrisies in the west, of which there are many in a way that seems like it's just aiming at making people throw up their hand and decide that there's no good guys so we can't complain about anything and I think I reacted to that type of opinion rather than anything you said in particular
raxxorraxor 4y ago
Indeed. And contrary to the right of free speech in the US it is just backward, really underlining the old in the old continent. Quite modern legislation of the last century cannot even compete with the significantly older US constitution.

space_fountain 4y ago

Literally a 30+ year jail sentence vs fines. Like don't get me wrong, that seems bad, but not really on the same level

balfirevic 4y ago
> but not really on the same level It's not, of course. It wasn't my intention to portray it at such (which is why I didn't pile this on as a top level comment). I did think it was interesting to bring up readily available examples that show we're not done with (pretty open) authoritarianism, even in EU countries. I guess it's similar reason why jfax commented about UK tweet jailings.
- space_fountain 4y ago
  Fair, sorry for the sort of attacky reply. I think there's an urge sometimes when presented with human rights abuses in other countries to point to hypocrisies in the west, of which there are many in a way that seems like it's just aiming at making people throw up their hand and decide that there's no good guys so we can't complain about anything and I think I reacted to that type of opinion rather than anything you said in particular

raxxorraxor 4y ago

Indeed. And contrary to the right of free speech in the US it is just backward, really underlining the old in the old continent. Quite modern legislation of the last century cannot even compete with the significantly older US constitution.