WELLINGTON – New Zealand’s government announced on Friday that it will strengthen the country’s hate speech laws and increase penalties for inciting hatred and discrimination, in response to the attack by a white supremacist in Christchurch two years ago that killed 51 Muslims.
The move comes after a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the March 15, 2019 attack recommended changes to hate speech and hate crime laws.
The government proposed new criminal offenses for hate speech that it said would be clearer and more effective.
Under the proposal, a person who “intentionally stirs up, maintains or normalizes hatred” would break the law if they did so by being threatening, abusive or insulting, including by inciting violence.(Reuters)
