Romanian top court overturns president's challenge to hate speech bill

BUCHAREST (Reuters) -Romania's top court on Thursday struck down a challenge brought by centrist President Nicusor Dan against a bill seeking harsher punishment for antisemitism and hate speech after a divisive election in which the far right gained ground.

Parliament updated legislation outlawing the celebration of fascist leaders or imagery in June, introducing prison sentences for the promotion of antisemitism and xenophobia via social media platforms.

The bill also increases jail terms for creating or belonging to racist organisations.

However, the president argued the bill did not properly define fascists, which would lead to judges interpreting the law arbitrarily. The court unanimously ruled against his objections.

An annual report released by the Elie Wiesel National Institute for the Study of the Holocaust in Romania on Wednesday said the country's election season was marked by a sharp increase of hate speech and aggression against Jewish, Roma, Hungarian and LGBT minorities - while also noting authorities were more actively enforcing legislation.

Romania cancelled a presidential election in December after allegations of Russian interference – denied by Moscow - in favour of far-right contender Calin Georgescu, who was later banned from running in the May re-run and has since been sent to trial for promoting Romania's wartime fascist leaders. He has denied all wrongdoing.

Romania had one of Europe's most violent antisemitic movements of the 1930s, the Iron Guard, known for political assassinations and pogroms. The country was also an ally of Nazi Germany until August 1944, when it changed sides.

(Reporting by Luiza Ilie;Editing by Alison Williams)