Negative remarks about transgender people could now land Norwegians in prison, even if the comments were made in the privacy of their own homes.
Norway’s government expanded its penal code last week to outlaw anything deemed “hate speech” against transgender people, including comments made in public and in private.
The bill, which was approved on its second reading without a vote, expands the legislation which has “protected” gay and lesbian people since 1981.
According to the penal code, those found guilty of engaging in “hate speech” in a private setting face a fine or up to a year in prison. Public comments could see individuals jailed for a maximum of three years.
Reuters reports: “The amendments outlawed discrimination based on ‘gender identity or gender expression’ and changed ‘homosexual orientation’ to ‘sexual orientation’, meaning bisexual as well as lesbian and gay people will be explicitly protected from discrimination.”
“Under the penal code, people charged with violent crimes can receive harsher sentences if a judge decides their actions were motivated by someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity.”
