Uppvigling

Uppvigling is a term in Scandinavian languages for the act of urging others to commit illegal acts, including violence, or to engage in unlawful behavior. It is a form of incitement that is typically intentional, directed at a specific audience, and carried out through spoken words, writings, social media posts, or other communications. In many legal systems, uppvigling to crime is prosecutable when the speaker or writer actively encourages or persuades others to break the law and the encouragement is deemed likely to lead to the execution of the act.

Etymology: the word combines upp- meaning up or raised and vigla meaning to incite or awaken, with cognates in Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish.

Legal context: In Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, offenses equivalent to incitement to crime exist. The usual elements include intentional or reckless urging of others to commit a crime, and sometimes a requirement that the act is likely or imminent, or directed at a particular audience. The boundary with protected speech is drawn by considerations of violence, the seriousness of the crime, and the specific targeting of wrongdoing. Many jurisdictions differentiate incitement from mere opinion or criticism. Some laws also address incitement to hatred or to violence against protected groups, combining it with hate-speech provisions.

Enforcement and challenges: Enforcement depends on context, the foreseeability of the crime, and the extent of influence attributed to the statements. The rise of online communication has expanded opportunities for uppvigling and has prompted discussions about platform liability and moderation.

Related concepts include incitement to crime, hate speech, conspiracy, and freedom of expression.