Moldova: online training course on combating hate speech

Back Moldova: online training course on combating hate speech

Photo by J. Kelly Brito on Unsplash

Over 20 participants from the Republic of Moldova attended an online training course on Council of Europe standards to combat hate speech on 15-16 June.

The course increased their understanding of hate speech, its forms, its causes and consequences. Participants also learnt about the definitions and approaches proposed by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) General Policy recommendation No. 15 on combatting hate speech and the 1^st Vice Chair of ECRI, Michael Farrell (member for Ireland) presented the Recommendation underlined the importance of a multi-stakeholder approach to combat hate speech.

Representatives from the Ombudsperson’s Office, Equality Council, the General Prosecutor’s Office, the Police, the Press Council, the Audiovisual Council, the Equality Council Ministry of Education, as well as NGOs attended the online course.

This training course will be followed by a mapping of the current national responses to hate speech in the Republic of Moldova, as well as further training tailored to specific institutions in the Autumn.

Chisinau 16 June 2020

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The Council of Europe, through different co-operation projects, engages with member State authorities and other stakeholders to support the design of comprehensive strategies against hate speech, based on a systemic design approach.

This approach involves as a first key step a systemic analysis of the national approach to hate speech which maps how members of society are impacted by hate speech and the redress available to them. The analysis maps the interaction individuals or targeted groups have with institutions, public bodies, NGOs and the private sector throughout the process of addressing hate speech.

A systemic analysis is not restricted to legal redress but encompasses all possible responses as outlined in European Commission against Racism and Intolerance's General Policy Recommendation No. 15 on Combating Hate Speech, for example self-regulatory procedures, public condemnation, victim support and educational responses. By breaking down a system into its component pieces and studying how those component parts work and interact to accomplish their purpose helps identify gaps, challenges and new actions and tools.

The Council of Europe’s No Hate Speech and Cooperation Unit is implementing the systemic mapping of responses to hate speech in the following countries:

Armenia: the joint European Union and Council of Europe project “Strengthening access to justice for victims of discrimination, hate crime and hate speech in Eastern Partnership countries” is conducting a systemic analysis of hate speech responses in Armenia, from March to July 2021. The initial kick-off event was held on 8 and 9 April, and engaged public institutions, such as the Ministry of Justice, the Human Rights Defender’s Office, law enforcement agencies, as well as media related institutions and civil society organisations. Individual and group interviews will be carried out in April 2021.
Georgia: the joint European Union and Council of Europe project “Strengthening access to justice for victims of discrimination, hate crime and hate speech in Eastern Partnership countries” is conducting a systemic analysis of hate speech responses in Georgia, from March to July 2021. The initial kick-off event is foreseen on 22-26 March, and it will involve 30 stakeholders, from public institutions and civil society organisations.
Ukraine: the joint European Union and Council of Europe project “Strengthening access to justice for victims of discrimination, hate crime and hate speech in Eastern Partnership countries" is conducting a systemic analysis of hate speech responses in Ukraine, from March to July 2021. The initial launch event and training was organised on 16-17 March, with the participation of 30 representatives of public institutions, relevant ministries, law enforcement, Ombudsoffice, media self-regulatory institutions, and civil society organisations. In March and April 2021, a series of individual and groups interviews will be carried out in order to establish the problem map and also the solution map.
Republic of Moldova: in 2020, the Council of Europe’s No Hate Speech and Cooperation Unit implemented a project to “Map national responses to hate speech in the Republic of Moldova” with the funding of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, under the Council of Europe’s Action Plan for the Republic of Moldova 2017-2020. The report on this activity is available in English and Romanian. The map of systemic analysis of the response to hate speech in the Republic of Moldova can be consulted online in English and Romanian.
Spain: in 2019, the Council of Europe’s No Hate Speech and Cooperation Unit developed its first project using systemic design with the support of the Spanish Ministry of Interior’s Hate Crime Office. The report on this activity is available in English and Spanish, and it is possible to consult the Systemic map of hate speech in Spain, as well as the Complete map of systemic analysis of hate speech and responses in Spain online.

Background

Photo of mapping diagrams Member States of the Council of Europe are increasingly aware of the threat that hate speech poses to human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Developing effective strategies to address it has become a major concern for national authorities and civil society actors across Europe. Such strategies should enable member states to significantly reduce the incidence and spread of hate speech, while respecting freedom of expression.

National authorities are developing different initiatives to address hate speech, including in the internet space, such as legislation, improving investigation and judicial remedies, dialogue with media and support to education and awareness raising. While such efforts are laudable, a comprehensive and coherent approach is needed within a human rights framework to achieve sustainable results.

standards

As outlined in General Policy Recommendation No. 15 on Combatting Hate Speech of the European Committee on Racism and Intolerance, a comprehensive approach must reconcile freedom of expression and other rights which are jeopardized by hate speech, and increase society’s resilience against it. The recommendation provides an inclusive definition of hate speech and outlines key components needed to ensure a comprehensive approach to combatting it, including legislative and administrative measures; self-regulation; support to victims; education and awareness raising measures including through use of counter speech.

The evolving case law of the European Court of Human Rights, Council of Europe’s standards, and monitoring findings of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance provide the framework needed to develop national strategies and action plans on hate speech.

Analysis

A systemic analysis of the national approach to hate speech maps how members of society are impacted by hate speech and the redress available to them. The analysis maps the interaction individuals have with institutions, public bodies, NGO’s and private sector throughout the process of addressing the hate speech.

This analysis is not restricted to legal redress but must encompass all possible responses as outlined in ECRI GPR no 15, for example self-regulatory procedures, public condemnation, victim support and educational responses. By breaking down a system into its component pieces and studying how those component parts work and interact to accomplish their purpose helps identify gaps, challenges and new actions and tools.

follow-up

Based on the outcomes of the systemic analysis of the national approach to hate speech, a range of interventions can be developed. Member states can be supported to:

Establish national platforms on addressing hate speech involving authorities, parliament, judiciary, law enforcement, equality bodies/ombudsoffice and NGO’s, Media and Internet businesses to coordinate legislative, capacity-building and awareness raising initiatives on hate speech and discrimination.
Review national legislation, in line with European standards on anti-discrimination and hate speech, to provide for a comprehensive definition of hate speech covering also online dimensions; sufficient mandate for relevant authorities to take action; set up redress mechanisms and victim support frameworks.
Establish ethical codes on discrimination and use of hate speech for parliament, authorities, media, education, private sector, and NGO’s.
Build capacity of prosecutor authorities, law enforcement and judiciary to investigate and prosecute the most extreme forms of hate speech.
Build capacity of authorities, judiciary, law enforcement, equality bodies and NGO’s Media and Internet businesses to identify and document hate speech, and expose the risk it poses to those it targets and democratic society in general.
Improve disaggregated data-gathering on hate speech and discrimination, including update of reporting protocols used by the different stakeholders and associated trainings. Collected data can inform policy development but also awareness raising and counter-narrative initiatives.
Build capacities for, and support implementation of, public campaigns to raise awareness on the risk hate speech and counter hate narratives, promoting diversity, human rights and democratic participation for an inclusive society.
Facilitate coordination and good practice exchange with European counter parts and Council of Europe sectors.

Inclusion and anti-discrimination

Mapping of national responses to hate speech

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