Incitement of Racist hate speech on the increase in Italy

Borderline Sicilia, together with other associations, has contributed to the compilation of a report on the racist hate speech. The report was presented yesterday at a CERD (UN Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination) meeting in Geneva. The report reveals a worrying picture concerning an increase in the phenomena of racist hate speech in Italy. Below is the press release from the Unione forense per la tutela dei diritti umani (Legal Union for the Protection of Human Rights), who organised the project.

PRESS RELEASE
Rome, 29th August 2012
Worrying data on the increase in the phenomena of racist hate speech in Italy presented to the UN by a group eight Italian associations.
A network of eight associations presented a report on the situation in Italy for the thematic discussion of the UN Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) on the subject of the incitement of racial hate speech, which was held yesterday in Geneva.
The report spoke out against the worrying spread of racist haye speech in the Italian media and political public discourse, especially in the case of Roma and Sinti. It also dealt with the issue of an increase in racism spread through the internet and social networks.
Members of the general public present during the debate, asked members of the UN Committee to formulate a general recommendation to reinforce the already existing international instruments in the fight against racial discrimination. The Italian network was one of few made up of members of the international general public at CERD, highlighting the attention that Italian NGOs dedicate to current international issues. The document will be included in the project Enhancing Italy’s Civil Society Participation to International Bodies’ Decision Making, organised by the Unione forense per la tutela dei diritti umani, with the contribution of Open Society Foundations. The eight associations who compiled the report are all particularly active in the fight against discrimination. They are: Archivio delle Memorie Migranti, Articolo 3 – Osservatorio sulle discriminazioni, Associazione Studi Giuridici sull’Immigrazione, Associazione 21 Luglio, Associazione Carta di Roma, Borderline Sicilia Onlus, Lunaria, Unione forense per la tutela dei diritti umani.
The complete document presented to CERD is available at:
www.unionedirittiumani.it
It is also possible to see the entire meeting at http://www.treatybodywebcast.org/cerd-81-thematic-discussion-on-racist-hate-speech/
Press Office – UNIONE FORENSE PER LA TUTELA DEI DIRITTI UMANI (Legal Union for the Protection of Human Rights)
Tel. +39 06 8412940 /Fax +39 06 84085170
info@unionedirittiumani.it – www.unionedirittiumani.it
ARCHIVIO DELLE MEMORIE MIGRANTI | www.archiviomemoriemigranti.net
ARTICOLO 3 – Osservatorio sulle discriminazioni | www.articolo3.org
ASSOCIAZIONE 21 LUGLIO | www.21luglio.com
ASSOCIAZIONE CARTA DI ROMA | www.cartadiroma.com
ASSOCIAZIONE STUDI GIURIDICI SULL’IMMIGRAZIONE | www.asgi.it
BORDERLINE SICILIA | http://www.siciliamigranti.blogspot.it/
LUNARIA | www.lunaria.org