The People’s Advocate strongly condemns the use of hate speech in public debates, warning that it leads to violence and hate crimes and prejudice.
The Ombudsman’s attitude comes as a result of the intensification of cases of hate speech and denigration during the current presidential election campaign, but also of the recent desecration of graves in the Jewish Cemetery in the capital.
Incitement to violence, insulting groups of people, spreading stereotypes in public speeches are unacceptable, especially when they are launched by politicians, high dignitaries in the state, says Mihail Cotorobai. Thus, the messages sent by one of the candidates for the position of President of the country regarding the participation of Moldovan diaspora representatives in the first round of presidential elections were equally denigrating, offensive and inciting hatred towards our fellow citizens permanently established or temporarily abroad.
It is unfortunate that, by repeatedly defying national and international human rights norms and standards, humiliating, discriminatory and sexually explicit discourse has also been admitted in messages to the public, thus attempting to exploit the prejudices and stereotypes of some members of society.
A president of a country who wants to be everyone’s must unite not divide. On the other hand, the head of a state with European democratic aspirations must present a model of respectful attitude towards human dignity, human rights and freedoms, regardless of race, color, ethnic, national or social origin, citizenship, sex, gender, language, religion or belief, political opinions, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, health status, age and marital status.
Moreover, in the ECRI Monitoring Report of the Republic of Moldova in the fifth cycle, adopted in June 2018, the Moldovan authorities are recommended to condemn the hate speech and its promotion by politicians and senior officials, and political parties – to adopt codes of conduct prohibiting the use of hate speech.
At the same time, in the ECRI General Policy Recommendation no. 15 of 8 December 2015, Council of Europe member states are advised to take a firm approach not only to raise public awareness on the importance of respecting pluralism and the dangers of hate speech, but also to demonstrate the falsity of arguments on which this discourse and its unacceptable nature are based, in order to discourage and prevent the use of such speech.
Coincidentally and suggestively, at the same time as the launch in the second round of the election campaign of denigrating and intolerant messages towards certain groups of people, a serious incident occurred in Chisinau, which could be described as a hate crime: desecration and destruction of graves from the Jewish Cemetery. This act shows not only hatred and intolerance towards the representatives of the Jewish ethnic group, but, given that the fascist swastika was printed on many graves, and a glorification of the Nazi crimes of genocide.
The People’s Advocate warns that the perpetuation and maintenance in the public space of the speech instigating hatred and violence gives rise to violence and division. That is why it is imperative that the whole of society resolutely oppose such manifestations.
The People’s Advocate reiterates in the context his previous recommendations regarding the need to urgently adopt the draft law no. 301 regarding the amendment and completion of some legislative acts with the subsequent proposals, aiming at sanctioning the facts motivated by hatred and prejudice and the hate speech.
