Political parties and other groups using hate speech should not receive any funding or support from the State and should be dissolved if what they say could incite violence or discrimination, according to new Council of Europe guidelines.
The guidelines by the Council’s European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) also calls for stricter self-regulation by the media and internet service providers to combat hate speech, including specific codes of conduct and conditions of use, and closer monitoring of online forums.
“When necessary, the deletion of hate speech from web materials, disclosing the identity of hate speech users and the obligation of the media to publish acknowledgments that something they ran constitutes hate speech should be required,” the ECRI said.
The guidelines issued to the council’s 47 member states stress that hate speech is based on the “unjustifiable” view that one group of people is superior to another and incites acts of violence or discrimination, undermining respect for minority groups and damaging social cohesion.
A balance must be kept between fighting hate speech and safeguarding freedom of speech
The ECRI said political parties and other organisations using hate speech – or even allowing it among their members – should have all support, financial and otherwise, by public bodies withdrawn.
“In the most serious cases, criminal prohibitions and penalties are necessary, but they should be used as a measure of last resort. All along, a balance must be kept between fighting hate speech on the one hand and safeguarding freedom of speech on the other.”
Normal Lowell, the leader of far-right party Imperium Europa, which won nearly 7,000 votes in the last European Parliament elections, was convicted of inciting racial hatred in 2008.
Since then, other groups in Malta have also become known for widespread hate speech and racist sentiment during public gatherings and on online forums. Last month, local human rights organisations warned that society could no longer ignore right-wing sentiments after MEP Roberta Metsola was the target of threats and attacks because of her views on migration.
The University of Malta is involved in a European project to record incidences of hate speech in an effort to understand its context, measures encouraged by ECRI.
The European Council report also stressed the importance of education to fight the misconceptions and misinformation forming the basis of hate speech.
“States should also provide practical support to those targeted by hate speech: they should be made aware of their rights, receive legal and psychological assistance, be encouraged to report the use of hate speech and to bring proceedings to court, with the assistance of equality bodies and non-governmental organisations.”