The use of racist, antisemitic and xenophobic elements in ...

Programme

Public presentation on the use of racist, antisemitic and xenophobic elements in political discourse
Paris, Council of Europe Office, 21 March 2005

2.30 p.m. Opening

by Mr Terry Davis,
Secretary General of the Council of Europe

2.45 p.m. Presentation of the study on the use of racist, antisemitic and xenophobic elements in political
discourse

by Mr Jean-Yves Camus, political scientist
and author of the study

3.00 p.m. Presentation of ECRI’s Declaration on the use of racist, antisemitic and xenophobic elements in
political discourse

by Mr Michael Head,
Chair of ECRI

3.15 p.m. The role of politicians in combating racism, xenophobia, antisemitism and intolerance

by Ms Tana de Zulueta,
member of the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe

3.30 p.m. Discussion with the participants (including questions from the media)

5.30 p.m. Close

The use of racist, antisemitic and xenophobic elements in political discourse 51



Participants

Speakers Mr Terry Davis Mr Michael Head
Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Chair of ECRI, Rustlings, Castle Road,
F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex Horsell, GB-Woking, Surrey

Monsieur Jean-Yves Camus Ms Tana de Zulueta
politologue, 21, rue Robert et Sonia Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of
Delaunay, 75011 Paris the Council of Europe, Senato della Repub-
blica, Piazza S. Eustachio 83, I-00186 Roma

Participants Mr Sergey Belyaev Ms Liz Fekete
Moscow Bureau for Human Rights, Bolshoy
Golovin Pereulok 22, Building 1, PO Box 6, Deputy Director, Institute for Race Rela-
RU-115455 Moscow tions, 2-6 Leeke Street, GB-London
WC1X 9HS

Monsieur Mohamed Boukry Monsieur Régis de Gouttes
Représentant du UNHCR en France, 9 rue Premier avocat général à la Cour de Cassa-
Keppler, F-75016 Paris tion, Membre du Comité des Nations Unies
pour l’élimination de la discrimination
Mr Alexander Brod raciale, Cour de Cassation, 5 Quai de l’Hor-
Moscow Bureau for Human Rights, Bolshoy loge, F-75001 Paris
Golovin Pereulok 22, Building 1, PO Box 6,
RU-115455 Moscow Monsieur Karl Grünberg
Association Romande contre le Racisme,
Ms Michèle Buteau Case Postale 328, CH-1000 LAUSANNE 9
United Nations Office of the High Commis-
sioner for Human Rights – Research and Monsieur Jérôme Jamin
Right to Development Branch, Palais Centre d’études de l’ethnicité et des migra-
Wilson, 52, rue des Paquis, CH-1201 Geneva tions (CEDEM), boulevard du Rectorat, 7,
4000 Liège 1, Belgium
Mr Boriss Cilevics
Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of Ms Michelynn Lafleche
the Council of Europe, Saeima, Jekaba iela Director, The Runnymede Trust, Suite 106,
10/12, LV-1811 Riga The London Fruit and Wool Exchange,
Brushfield Street, GB-London E1 6EP
Madame Elisabeth Cohen-Tannoudji
Conseil représentatif des Institutions juives Mr Serguei Lazarev
de France (CRIF), Espace Rachi, 39, rue Chief of Section, Fight against Discrimina-
Broca, F-75005 Paris tion and Racism Section, Division of Human
Rights and Fight against Discrimination,
Monsieur Serge Cwaigenbaum UNESCO, 1, rue Miollis, F-75732 Paris
Secrétaire général, Congrès juif européen,
78, avenue des Champs Elysées, F-75008 Monsieur Roger Linster
Paris Membre de l’ECRI, 14, rue Siggy vu Letze-
buerg, L-1933 Luxembourg
Monsieur Samir Djaiz
Président, Plate-forme Migrants Citoyen- Mr Diego Lorente
neté européenne, 76 Rue d’Assas, F-75006 Director, SOS Racismo, Campomanes 13, 2d
Paris izq., E-28013 Madrid

Ms Amina Ek Monsieur Saimir Mile
Director, Center against Racism, Sveavägen Centre AVER de Recherche et d’Action sur
59, Box 3388, S-103 68 Stockholm toutes les formes de racisme, 31, rue La Fon-
taine, F-75016 Paris
Monsieur Ali El Baz
Association des Travailleurs Maghrébins de
France, 10 Rue Affre, F-75018 Paris

The use of racist, antisemitic and xenophobic elements in political discourse 53

Mr Azim Mollazade Mr Aaron Rhodes

Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of Executive Director, International Helsinki
the Council of Europe, Parliamentary Ave. 1, Federation for Human Rights, Wickerburg-
AZR-Baku AZ1152 gasse 14/7, A-1080 Vienna

Mr Ucha Nanuashvili Mr Luciano Scagliotti
Executive Director, Human Rights Informa- Centro di Iniziativa per l’Europa, Via Conte
tion and Documentation Center, 89/24 Verde 9, I-10122 Torino
Agmashenebeli Ave, GE-Tbilisi 380002
Professor Andrzej Sicinski
Mr Jud Nirenberg Member of ECRI, Fundacja Kultury, Piekna
Chief Executive Officer, European Roma 1 B, PL-00 539 Warsaw
and Travellers Forum, Council of Europe, F-
67075 Strasbourg Monsieur Mohamed Smida
Association des Tunisiens en France, 130 rue
Mr Theodoros Pangalos du Faubourg poissonnière, F-75010 Paris

Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of Ms Eva Sobotka
the Council of Europe, 16-18 Pireos Str., GR-
10431 Athens European Monitoring Centre on Racism and
Xenophobia, Rahlgasse 3, A-1060 Vienna

Ms Nafsika Papanikolatos Ms Winnie Sorgdrager

Greek Helsinki Monitor, Minority Rights Vice-Chair of ECRI, President of the
Group, Greece, PO Box 60820, GR-15304 Council for Culture, R.J., Schimmelpennink-
Glyka Nera laan 3, NL-2517 JN THE HAGUE

Mr Mirek Prokes Mme Catherine Teule

United for Intercultural Action, c/o Duha, Secrétaire Générale de la Ligue des Droits de
Senovazné nam. 24, CZ-11647 Praha l’Homme (LDH), 138-140, rue Marcadet,
75018 Paris
Ms Nav Purewall
Monsieur Alex Uberti
Office for Democratic Institutions and
Human Rights, Aleje Ujazdowskie 19, PL- Centre Simon Wiesenthal, 64 avenue Mar-
00557 Warsaw ceau, F-75008 Paris

Mr Zoran Pusic Mr Jaap van Donselaar

Civic Committee for Human Rights, Ulica Anne Frank House, Westermarkt 10, PO
Grada Vukovara 35 street, HR-Zagreb Box 730, NL-1000 AS Amsterdam

Mr Bashy Quraishy Mr Patrick Yu

Chair, European Network against Racism Executive Director, Northern Ireland
(ENAR), Nyelandsvey 53, DK-2000 Frede- Council for Ethnic Minorities (NICEM),
riksberg 24-31 Shaftesbury Square, Northern Ireland,
GB-Belfast

Ms Isil Gachet Ms Heike Klempa ecretariat
Executive Secretary, European Commission
against Racism and Intolerance, Directorate Responsible for relations with civil society,
General of Human Rights, Council of European Commission against Racism and
Europe, F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex Intolerance

54 ECRI: European Commission against Racism and Intolerance

ECRI Declaration on the use of racist, antisemitic and xenophobic elements in
political discourse

(adopted on 17 March 2005)

The European Commission against Racism — Ill considered measures which impact
disproportionately on particular groups or
and Intolerance (ECRI), being firmly con- affect the latter’s effective enjoyment of
vinced that tolerance and pluralism are at human rights are being adopted
the foundation of genuinely democratic
societies and that diversity considerably — The long term cohesion of society is
enriches these societies: damaged

— Condemns the use of racist, antisemitic — Racial discrimination gains ground
and xenophobic elements in political dis-
course — Racist violence is encouraged.

— Stresses that such discourse is ethically Faced with this situation, ECRI stresses
unacceptable that political parties can play an essential
role in combating racism, by shaping and
— Recalls Europe’s history, which shows guiding public opinion in a positive fashion.
that political discourse that promotes reli- It suggests the following practical measures:
gious, ethnic or cultural prejudice and
hatred considerably threatens social peace — Self-regulatory measures which can be
and political stability and inevitably leads to taken by political parties or national parlia-
suffering for entire populations ments

— Is alarmed at the consequences that this — The signature and implementation by
type of discourse is having on the general European political parties of the Charter of
climate of public opinion in Europe European Political Parties for a Non-Racist
Society which encourages a responsible atti-
— Is deeply concerned that the use of tude towards problems of racism, whether it
racist, antisemitic and xenophobic political concerns the actual organisation of the par-
discourse is no longer confined to extremist ties, or their activities in the political arena
political parties, but is increasingly infecting
mainstream political parties, at the risk of — Effective implementation of criminal
legitimising and trivialising this type of dis- law provisions against racist offences
course (including those establishing racist motiva-
tion as an aggravating circumstance) and
— Notes with serious concern that this racial discrimination, which are applicable
type of discourse conveys prejudices and to all individuals
stereotypes in respect of non-citizens and
minority groups and strengthens the racist — The adoption and implementation of
and xenophobic content of debates on provisions penalising the leadership of any
immigration and asylum group that promotes racism, as well as
support for such groups and participation in
their activities

— Notes with serious concern that this — The establishment of an obligation to
type of discourse often conveys a distorted suppress public financing of organisations
image of Islam, intended to portray this reli- which promote racism, including public
gion as a threat, and that antisemitism con- financing of political parties
tinues to be encouraged, openly or in a
coded manner, by certain political leaders ECRI calls on political parties to formu-
and parties. late a clear political message in favour of
diversity in European societies.

ECRI deplores the fact that, as a result of ECRI calls above all for courageous and
the use of racist, antisemitic and xeno- effective political leadership which respects
phobic political discourse: and promotes human rights.

The use of racist, antisemitic and xenophobic elements in political discourse 55



Charter of European Political Parties for a Non-Racist Society

(Utrecht, 28 February 1998)

We, the democratic political parties of purpose of seeking to gain the sympathy of
the electorate for prejudice on such grounds,
Europe,
Being aware of the special tasks and
Having regard to the international responsibilities of political parties as actors
human rights instruments signed and rati- in a democratic political process, defending,
fied by our European Union Member States, articulating and bearing witness to the basic
in particular to the United Nations Conven- principles of a democratic society; providing
tion on the Elimination of All Forms of a platform for discussion on issues where
Racial Discrimination, there may be differences of opinion, inte-
grating different views into the process of
Having regard to article 1 of this Conven- political decision making, thereby enabling
tion, which defines racial discrimination as society to solve conflicts of interest and of
“… any distinction, exclusion, restriction or opinion between various social groups
preference based on race, colour, descent or through dialogue rather than through
national or ethnic origin which has the opting out and conflict; selecting represent-
purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing atives at various levels for active participa-
the recognition, enjoyment or exercise on an tion in the political process,
equal footing of human rights and funda-
mental freedoms in the political, economic, Convinced that free use of one's political
social, cultural of any other field of public rights can and must go hand in hand with
life …”, firmly upholding the principle of non-dis-
crimination and is inherent in the demo-
Having regard to the preamble to the cratic process itself,
Single European Act in which the Member
States of the European Community declare Being convinced furthermore that repre-
to work together to promote democracy on sentation of ethnic minority groups in the
the basis of the fundamental rights recog- political process is properly an integral part
nised in the constitutions and laws of the of the democratic process, since political
Member States, in the European Convention parties are or should strive to be a reflection
for the Protection of Human Rights and of society,
Fundamental Freedoms and the European
Social Charter, Commit ourselves to adhere to the fol-

Having regard to the Treaty of lowing specific principles of good practice:
Amsterdam which enables the European
Community to “… take appropriate action to — To defend basic human rights and demo-
combat discrimination based on … racial or cratic principles and to reject all forms of
ethnic origin, religion or belief …” and facili- racist violence, incitement to racial hatred
tates police and judicial cooperation in the and harassment and any form of racial dis-
framework of the European Union in pre- crimination.
venting and combating racism and xeno-
phobia, — To refuse to display, to publish or to
have published, to distribute or to endorse
Recognising that the fundamental rights in any way views and positions which stir
as enshrined in the international human up or invite, or may reason-able be expected
rights instruments signed and ratified by the to stir up or to invite prejudices, hostility or
EU member states include the right to free division between people of different ethnic
and uninhibited political speech and debate, or national origins or religious beliefs, and to
deal firmly with any racist sentiments and
Mindful that according to these same behaviour within its own ranks.
international human rights instruments
one's political freedoms are not absolute in — To deal responsibly and fairly with sen-
view of the equally fundamental right to be sitive topics relating to such groups and to
protected against racial discrimination and avoid their stigmatization.
that therefore political freedoms cannot be
allowed to be abused to exploit, cause or ini- — To refrain from any form of political alli-
tiate prejudice on the grounds of race, col- ance or cooperation at all levels with any
our, ethnic origin or nationality or for the political party which incites or attempts to
stir up racial or ethnic prejudices and racial
hatred.

The use of racist, antisemitic and xenophobic elements in political discourse 57