ALRANZ Media Release: SPCS Wrong About "Hate_Speech"

"The Abortion Law Reform Association of New Zealand would like an investigation of the use of websites that promulgate incitements to violence, or terrorism, against members of occupational groups, such as abortion providers, as part of Marc Alexander's private members bill on censorship policy." Mr Craig Young, Research Officer for the Abortion Law Reform Association of New Zealand said today.

Mr. Young said that ALRANZ supported minimalist and focused censorship policy, as it was concerned about possible negative repercussions on reproductive and sexual health otherwise.

"We have no position on wider hate speech law and regulation, but we are concerned about these specific websites. In the United States, there has been fierce controversy over the "Nuremberg Files" website, which has been evicted from numerous ISPs over its advocacy and possible facilitation of violence against abortion providers. This website includes abortion provider names, business and home addresses, details about children, vehicle registration, social security numbers and other personal data. It has been used to stalk, harass and kill abortion providers within the United States. More recently, the UK Life League, a similar extremist group, tried to adopt similar tactics until Scottish law enforcement agencies banned this practice."

"The so-called Society for Promotion of Community Standards should ask itself what sort of community "standards" it endorses when it remains silent about the violent activities of its overseas co-religionists and their advocacy of violence and harassment against medical practitioners involved in an important surgical procedure. We hope that the government sees fit to introduce legislation that would make the creation and use of websites for purposes of such intimidation and criminal harassment illegal."

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