Wiesenthal Centre to Norwegian Prime Minister “Shun TV Comedian as National Pariah, an Aberration to Norwegian Values”

In a letter to Norwegian Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg, the Simon Wiesenthal Centre’s Director for International Relations, Dr. Shimon Samuels, expressed “grave concern atincreasing antisemitic expression in Norway. This phenomenon receives prominent attention in the latest publication “Behind the Humanitarian Mask: The Nordic Countries, Israel andthe Jews”,edited by Manfred Gerstenfeld, foreword by MBD Gert Weisskirchen”, adding,” indeed I recently presented a copy to your Ambassador to the United Nations Human Right Councilin Geneva.”

The letter noted that “within the context of our research, we have encountered the rhetoric of Otto Jespersen – co-host of TV2’s ‘Thursday Club’ - who, under the cover of a perversehumour, burned the Old Testament, Goebbels-Style, on his show. Since then he has become exponentially more offensive”.

Samuels continued, “attending the 1st International Conference of the European Union’s Agency for Fundamental Rights in Paris this Monday, I drew attention to Jespersen’s three mostrecent Judeophobic outrages, highlighted by the Oslo-based Centre Against Antisemitism:

- 20 November 2008, “I would also like to take this opportunity to remember the billions of fleas and lice that lost their lives in the German gas chambers, having done nothingexcept to take up residence on people of Jewish origin”

- 4 December 2008, “And to be perfectly honest, I’ve never even met a Jew. But I figure that’s gone change now that the financial crises is up and running.’cause like so manyothers, I’ll probably have to take a trip down to the pawnbroker soon…’”

- Finally, I just want to wish all Norwegian Jews a Merry Christmas, No! What am I saying? You don’t celebrate Christmas. I mean it was you who hung Jesus up there on thecross…”.

Samuels pointed out that “two experts on freedom of expression remarked that these statements possibly violate the hate-speech provisions of the Council of Europe (COE), of whichNorway is a member”.

The Centre remarked that “apparently, the last mandated country-report on Norway, of the COE’s European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) took place in 2003”.

It was proposing that “as an NGO in consultative status to the COE, its book be presented– with a special focus on Jespersen – to be considered in the next 47 member-state updatedevaluation of hate-speech in Norway”.

The letter called on the Prime Minister to “forcefully condemn Jespersen as an aberration to Norwegian values. We pray that the shadows of Quisling Nazi-collaboration be eclipsed bythe human grandeur of Nansen and Nobel.”

“For that to happen, Jespersen must be shunned as a national pariah”, concluded Samuels.

For further information please contact Shimon Samuels at +33 609 77 01 58