Between October-December 2021, a tutored course on hate speech for judges using the HELP platform, adapted to the Moldovan context and legislative framework, has been carried out in the Republic of Moldova. The activity was implemented in the framework of the regional project “Strengthening access to justice for victims of discrimination, hate crime and hate speech in the Eastern Partnership” in co-operation with the National Institute of Justice of the Republic of Moldova, being one of the 13 HELP courses that are tutored at the national level by the National Institute of Justice.

The training aimed to support judges from the Republic of Moldova in their work related to hate speech cases, to better understand the concept and manifestations of hate speech, to explore the European acquis on this thematic and to learn from the best practices of tackling hate speech cases.

As part of the course, the following modules have been covered:

1. Concept of hate speech and freedom of expression;
2. Effective responses to hate speech;
3. Legal standards on hate speech.

The topics have been analysed with a focus on the information relevant to the Moldovan context (legislation, case law, dilemmas), and with exercises relevant for the development of judges’ competence to assess and adjudicate cases of hate speech in their daily practice.

The course was organized in the framework of the regional project “Strengthening access to justice for victims of discrimination, hate speech and hate crime in the Eastern Partnership” funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe in the framework of the Partnership for Good Governance.