Newsroom - Online hate speech and hate crime
Cybercrime and freedom of expression discussion paper now available in FR and ES
The recent discussion paper on cybercrime and freedom of expression prepared under the Octopus Project and published in December 2023, is now available in French and Spanish. This paper aims at supporting policy makers, legislators and criminal justice practitioners in their development and...
Cyberviolence Resource presented during the Octopus Conference 2023
Between 13-15 December 2023, Octopus Conference 2023 took place in Bucharest, Romania. The Octopus Conference, organised every 12 to 18 months by the Council of Europe, constitutes one of the biggest and finest platforms of exchange in cybercrime gathering experts from more than 100 countries,...
Cybercrime and freedom of expression: discussion paper
In recent years, most countries around the world have undertaken legislative reforms on cybercrime and electronic evidence. In a number of countries, such legislation on cybercrime includes provisions on criminalising the “dissemination of false information”, “offensive messages”, “causing...
Countering online xenophobia and racism: new study underlines increased relevance of the First Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime
The Additional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime, concerning the criminalisation of acts of a racist and xenophobic nature committed through computer systems was opened for signature in Strasbourg, France, on 28 January 2003. In the light of its 20th anniversary, a study was prepared to...
Fourth meeting of the Committee of Experts on Hate Crime
The 4th and final meeting of the Committee of Experts on Hate Crime (PC/ADI-CH) took place on 4-6 October 2023 in Strasbourg under the Chairmanship of Stephanie Oener (Austria). Over the course of the three-day meeting, the Committee examined and finalised the draft Recommendation on combating...
Public consultation on CM Recommendation on Combating Hate Crime
The public consultation on the draft text of the Committee of Ministers Recommendation on Combating Hate Crime is open from 26 May to 3 July 2023. This recommendation will provide non-binding guidance for member states and other key stakeholders on a comprehensive approach to addressing hate...
Time for urgent action to stop democratic backsliding, Secretary General tells Summit
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has called on Europe’s leaders to act urgently to reverse a slide in democracy. Speaking at the opening session of the fourth Council of Europe Summit of Heads of State and Government, she stressed that Russia’s aggression against Ukraine was an extreme...
Third meeting of PC/ADI-CH takes place in Strasbourg
The third meeting of the Committee of Experts on Hate Crime took place on 30-31 March 2023 in Strasbourg under the Chairmanship of Ms Stephanie Oener (Austria). The Committee further examined and discussed the draft Recommendation on combating hate crime, focusing on issues concerning the...
Octopus Project: Webinar on strengthening the capacities of criminal justice authorities on addressing xenophobia and racism committed online
On 28 February 2023, around 100 participants gathered online for the second webinar in the series of webinars on xenophobia and racism online, organised in the framework of the 20th anniversary of the First Additional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime. The second webinar was an opportunity...
International Conference on xenophobia and racism committed through computer systems - sharing good practices on 20 years of implementing the First Additional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime
Some 110 experts on cybercrime and hate speech from over 45 countries – including from public and private sectors, academia and civil society organisations – participated in the International Conference on xenophobia and racism committed through computer systems at the Council of Europe in...