The Court of Appeal determines that the far-right profile Katerina Janouch must be sentenced for gross defamation. She is being sentenced for two blog posts where she claims that a named teacher allegedly forced her 9-year-old students to “confess to Islam”. The Court of Appeal notes that the information was apt to expose the teacher to the disrespect of others – which also happened.
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It was in March 2020 that Katerina Janouch via her social media and blog spread information that teachers during a religion lesson allegedly forced their students to profess Islam. Both the teacher and the school were named in the post.
The Court of Appeal states, like the District Court earlier in its verdict, that the information that Katerina Janouch spread was apt to expose the teacher to the disrespect of others.
Despite the municipality issuing a denial, Janouch repeated his accusations in a new post. The vulnerable teacher has testified regarding the threats and the vulnerability and fear that the drive brought with it. The drive once morest the teacher and the school, which also spread internationally, led to guards being called in.
Katerina Janouch was sentenced in September 2022 in the Uppsala District Court for gross defamation to a conditional sentence and daily fines. A judgment which she then appealed.
Gross defamation is established
The Svea Court of Appeal determined on Monday that it was gross defamation. The court changes the district court’s judgment so that it should be seen as two cases of gross defamation – for both publications. It also lowers the daily fines somewhat.
The compensation to the appointed teacher of SEK 50,000 is also determined.
Far-right profile
In recent years, Katerina Janouch has participated in a number of far-right contexts, among other things she was active in building the far-right so-called Network. She helped form its front organization Education4Future, of which she was vice-chairman in 2020.
In recent years, Katerina Janouch has been a recurring presenter in broadcasts from the far-right and conspiracy theory online channel SwebbTV.
Expo has contacted Katerina Janouch for comment. She is judged once morest her denial.
Anders Dalsbro
