Назад An online course on combating hate speech for judges and prosecutors from Armenia was launched

An online course on combating hate speech for judges and prosecutors from Armenia was launched

The tutored online course on the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) General Policy Recommendation (GPR) No. 15 on combating hate speech was launched, with the participation of  18  judges and  prosecutors in Armenia.

The course hosted by the Council of Europe’s HELP platform, will be implemented until mid-February, through 8 hybrid modules covering the following topics: defining and identifying hate speech; raising public awareness and using counter-speech; support for those targeted by hate speech; self-regulation as a means of tackling the use of hate speech; media, the internet and hate speech; administrative and civil liability for the use of hate speech; administrative and other sanctions against organizations that use hate speech; criminal liability and sanctions for the use of hate speech.

Further to the core material based on ECRI GPR 15, participants will also have at disposal materials relevant for the Armenian context in the relevant sections/topics of the course: overviews of Armenian legal and institutional framework on hate speech, relevant reports, publications and case-law information, ensuring a comprehensive approach to this topic.

This course is used as a tool to supplement traditional materials used in legal education and is implemented in cooperation with the Justice Academy of the Republic of Armenia,  under the framework of the regional project “Strengthening access to justice for victims of discrimination, hate speech and hate crime in the Eastern Partnership countries” funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe under their  Partnership for Good Governance II, 2019-2022.

Online 18 January 2023
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Strasbourg, France Strasbourg, 1-2 July 2024
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Addressing hate speech and hate crime: regional gathering of the network of Equality Bodies from the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership Region

A two-day workshop on addressing hate speech and hate crime took place at the premises of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, involving Equality bodies from the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership regions.  The event supported by the EU and Council of Europe, gathered 50 representatives from both regions who discussed and exchanged on the best practices, measures and common challenges when addressing hate speech and hate crime. Through monitoring and reporting, policy advocacy, raising awareness and supporting victims equality bodies play a fundamental role in protecting human rights and ensuring that all individuals are treated equally.

In her opening remarks, Angela Longo, Head of Anti-discrimination Co-operation Unit, Council of Europe, underlined the significant progress in engaging with Equality Bodies through this network, regularly exchanging best practices and addressing the challenges of hatred and intolerance in societies. She highlighted that this new chapter of discussion delves into the grey area between hate speech and hate crime, addressing issues of incitement and biases,

Representatives from Equality Bodies had the opportunity to discuss and enhance their knowledge on the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers Recommendation to member States on combating hate crime, adopted on 7th May 2024, as well as gain a clearer understanding of EU standards in the field of hate crime. Moreover, participants engaged in exchanges with peers from the Spanish Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia (OBERAXE), who shared insights on addressing hate speech in the public discourse. The National Office Against Racial Discrimination (UNAR) in Italy provided practical examples for developing counter-narratives and raising awareness initiatives.

They also explored opportunities to advocate for legislative reform, foster multisectoral co-operation, enhance data collection, and overall improve national mechanisms to counter hate crimes.

This seminar was organised within the action “Promoting equality and combating racism and intolerance in the Western Balkans” and the project “Promoting equality and non-discrimination: towards more resilient and inclusive societies” – co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe  under the joint Programmes “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” and “Partnership for Good Governance”.

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