PRIMARY SOURCES

ON COPYRIGHT

(1450-1900)

Swedish Freedom of the Press Ordinance, Stockholm (1812)

Source: Kongl. Maj:ts Och Riksens Stånders Faststälde Tryckfrihets-Forordning; Dat. Örebro den 16. Julii 1812. Cum Gratia & Privilegio S:æ R:æ Maj:tis. Stockholm, Tryckt i Kongl. Tryckeriet, 1812.

Citation:
Swedish Freedom of the Press Ordinance, Stockholm (1812), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org

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            Chapter 1 Page 11 of 12 total



but shall be submitted to the decision of the Supreme Court. The Attorney General of the Estates of the Realm shall be present when such a case for deliberation arises, and it shall be his duty, upon receiving information, to expedite the proceedings to print, at public expense, in the event that a private publisher is not available.

3. In the case of offenses against this Law, they shall be brought before the Lower Court, but the Judge shall submit his decision to the review of the High Court, as stipulated in Chapter 25, Section 5 of the Code of Procedure. However, in all cases, the documents in cases concerning Freedom of the Press shall be sent from the Lower Court to the High Court for review.

4. If the accused writing, upon the prosecutor's request, is found to have such a minor criminal nature that it should result in absolute discharge, and the author of the writing belongs to a class such that, according to the law and regulations, he can only be judged for such a crime in the High Court, then the matter shall be referred to the High Court's proceedings when the name seal is opened in the Lower Court. Thereafter, the case shall proceed in accordance with the provisions of this Freedom of the Press Act.

5. If individuals are attacked in writings that have been published, whether one or several, and this is not done in the course of their official duties, only the aggrieved party may bring a complaint. A publicly appointed prosecutor may never take up such a case in his complaint. However, the aggrieved party is not prevented from requesting assistance in the legal proceedings from the Crown's representative at the Office of Justice, and the latter may grant such assistance upon review. However, the absence or non-appearance of such a prosecutor shall not delay the progress and decision of the case in court. The prosecution of such cases involving private individuals shall be conducted in all respects according to the legal procedures prescribed by this law and common law. However, the lower court judge, in such private disputes, may raise questions of jurisdiction with the Superior Court without seeking the opinion of the Lord Chancellor or his representatives, in which case the ban shall not be enforced.

6. In matters concerning confiscation, the King's representatives and the respective magistrates shall provide assistance promptly and under responsibility. However, a request for confiscation of any publication within the kingdom may not be made without proof that the publication has been confiscated at the place of printing, or, in cases where the publication has not been submitted to the Lord Chancellor or his representatives as required by Section 4, Paragraph 2.

7. If any publication printed here or imported into the realm from abroad is reported by the ambassadors of one or more foreign states or their governments as containing matter that may lead to dissatisfaction among other powers, it shall be within the King's discretion, depending on the nature and circumstances of the case, to issue an order, and if necessary, to order the sequestration and confiscation of the publication, through the Lord Chancellor or the Chancellor of Justice, against both the printers and sellers or other distributors, in accordance with the provisions regarding confiscation as stated above. In cases where the aforementioned officials, who are entrusted with the matter by virtue of receiving the King's gracious command, do not refer the publication for prosecution by an attorney before the appropriate court, the said official shall immediately and without delay request an opinion from the Committee on Freedom of the Press regarding the publication in question. If the Committee, which has no authority to assess political considerations and circumstances, finds that the publication cannot be prosecuted under the letter of the law, it shall be subject to the King's gracious decision as to whether the publisher or printer, in that case, may be entitled to any compensation from state funds for the expenses incurred for printing and paper of what has been confiscated from the edition.

8. If the unexpected event occurs that the Committee on Freedom of the Press is put on trial due to Section 108 of the Constitution, the case shall be taken up and decided by the Supreme Court of Sweden, upon the request of the Advocate General there. The judgment shall be immediately published after its pronouncement, at the expense of the public, through printing, including all relevant records and documents, for the public's knowledge. If the matter comes before the King's Supreme Court, the same procedure shall be followed.

 



    


gå, utan underställes Högsta Domstolens afgörande Riksens Ständers Justitiæ-Ombudsmand äge, at, efter erhållen underrättelse, då sådant mål til öfwerläggning förekommer, derwid tilstädes wara; Hwarefter honom åligge, at Högste Domstolens Protocoll och Utslag i målet, genast til trycket befordra, på publique bekostnad, i händelse enskild Förläggare ej skulle erhållas.

3:o Wid Under-Rätt pröfwe och afgöre Domaren saken, men underställe sit Utslag Hof-Rättens pröfning, på sätt 25. Cap. 5. §. Rättegångs-Balken bjuder, men i alla fall skola handlingarne uti Tryckfrihetens mål understälningswis af Under-Rätt til Hof-Rätten insändas.

4:o Är åklagad Skrift, efter åklagarens påstående, af få brotslig beskaffenhet, at urbota bestraffning derå följa bör, och Skriftens Författare hörer til det Stånd, at, efter Lag och Försattningar, han endast i Hof-Rätt för dylikt brott dömas kan, förwise då Under Rätt, der namnsedeln blifwit öpnad, saken til Hof Rättens handläggning, hwarefter med densamma widare förfares, såsom denna Tryckfrihets-Lag föreskrifwer.

5:o Angripes, uti af trycket utkomna Skrifter, enskilde personer, en eller flere, och det ej sker i och för deras Embete, derom må ej annor än rätter målsägande käre, ej eller må tilförordnad publique Actor någonsin sådant i sit käromål uptaga och åklaga. Målsäganden ware likwål obetagit, at hos Justitiæ-Canzlers Embetet begära biträde i Rättegången af Kronans Ombud och må på Justitiæ-Canzlerens egit ompröfwande ankomna, at härtil bifall lemna; dock kan sådan Actors frånwaro eller uteblifwande icke uppehålla målets företagande och afgörande wid Domstolen. Sådan åklagan a fenskilde personer handteras i alle delar, efter det Rättegångssätt denna och Allmän Lag föreskrifwa: dock må Under-Domaren, wid sådane enskildta twister, utan inhämtadt utlåtande af Hof-Canzleren eller hans Ombud, qwarterna äga i laglig ordning hos Öfwer-Rätten beswär anföra; i hwilket fall qwarstaden ej må werkställas.

6:o I frågor om qwarstad, böra i sådant fall, Konungens Befallningshafwande och wederhörande Magistrater owägerligen och wid answar biträda; dock må ej hos Bokhandlare eller annan Försäljare å någon inom Riket utkommen Skrift, qwarstad begäras, uten at, genom bewis kan styrkas, at Skriften i tryckningsorten blifwit med qwarstad belagd, eller, i det fall, at Skriften ej blifwit enligt 4. §. 2. Mom. til Hof Canzleren eller dez Ombud inlemnad.

7:o Warder någon af trycket härstädes utkommen, eller Utländsk, hit i Riket införd, Skrift, utaf en eller flere främmande Staters Sändebud eller deras Regeringar anmäld, såsom innefattande sådane ämnen, hwilka kunne föranleda til miznöje hos andra Magter, äge Konungen at derom, efter sakens och omständigheternas beskaffenhet, i Nåder förordna, samt, om Han så nödigt pröfwar, om Skriftens sequestrerande och indragning, genom Dez Hof-Canzler eller Justitiæ-Canzler, så wäl hos Boktryckare som Försäljare eller andra utspridare, låta föranstalta, och hwarmed förhålles på sätt, som angående beläggande med qwarstad här ofwanföre stadgadt finnes; skolandes i de fall, då sen af förenåmnde Embetsmän, som om merkställigheten erhåller Konungens Nådiga befallning, icke hänwiser Skriften til åtalande af Actor wid wederbörlig Domstol, bemälte Embetsman genast owägerligen infordra Tryckfrihets-Comiténs utlåtande om den i fråga warande Skriften. Finner Comitén, som ej äger ingå uti någon pröfning af Politiska considerationer och förhållanden, at Skriften, efter Lagens bokstaf, ej åtalas kan, då ankommer det på Konungens Nådiga pröfning, om Förläggare eller Boktryckare må, i thy fall, til mer eller mindre del af Stats-medlen njuta någon ersättning för omkostnaden til tryckning och papper af hwad utaf Uplagan kunnat indragas.

8:o Skulle den oförmodade händelsen inträffa, at Tryckfrihets Comitén, med anledning af 108. §. Regerings Formen, warder til answar stäld, uptages och afgöres målet af Swea Hof-Rätt, uppå åkäran af Advocat-Fiscalen därstädes. Domen warder genast efter afkunnandet, med alla dertil hörande Protocoll och Handlingar, på publique bekostnad, genom trycket, befordrad til Allmänhetens kunskap. Kommer saken til Konungens Högste Domstol, förhålles på enahanda sätt. Den man, som af Kirkens

 



    


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