E/CN.4/2001/21
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154. In addition, the Basel resident Jürger Graf, author of the book Der Holocaust im
Klassenzimmer (Zurich, Schulthess Polygraphischer Verlag), was sentenced last September
to 15 months’ non-suspended imprisonment for racial discrimination and his revisionist views;
he had already been convicted in 1998 for repeated violations of article 246 bis of the
Criminal Code.
VI. ACTION BY CIVIL SOCIETY
A. France
155. The Special Rapporteur noted in his report to the General Assembly the initiative
taken by the French organization SOS-Racisme to combat structural everyday racism
(A/55/304, para. 41). This organization identified nightclubs in a number of French cities
which it suspected of practicing racial discrimination. By a judgement of 12 September 2000,
the French Court of Cassation acknowledged the lawfulness of “testing” to facilitate the
prosecution in the courts of persons guilty of racial discrimination. On Saturday 9 December,
SOS-Racisme organized a second “test night” in Paris and 20 other large cities. According to a
report in Le Monde of 12 December 2000, the association uncovered 31 cases of “blatant racial
discrimination” at 78 of the nightclubs tested. This ethnic screening is common practice in
Clermont-Ferrand, Saint-Etienne, Grenoble and Marseille, although there has apparently been a
marked decline in cases of discrimination in Paris. SOS-Racisme notes with satisfaction in a
press release that “the campaign against discrimination which began in 1999 is now bearing
fruit”. Action in other areas such as housing and employment is also planned.
B. Germany
156. The German Football Federation launched a campaign against violence and the extreme
right wing on the weekend of 16-17 December. Players, referees, managers and supporters
displayed a red card with the slogan “No room for violence” at the start of each first and second
division fixture. This campaign comes in the wake of a series of racist and anti-Semitic acts in
Germany.
VII. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
157. The preceding chapters show that significant progress has been made in raising
awareness of the deleterious effects of racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia throughout
the world. The energetic efforts made by NGOs in this field have been remarkable. Many
Governments have adopted systematic measures, but these are not always implemented. It is
unfortunate that several Governments failed even to reply to the Special Rapporteur’s
communications and have omitted to provide him with details of action they are taking to combat
racism. It is disturbing to note that racism occurs in everyday life and increasingly takes the
form of xenophobia through a rejection of others and tendencies towards communalism,
ethnocentrism, interethnic conflict and a disturbing resurgence of extreme right-wing and
neo-Nazi movements.
158. The debate on racism at the fifty-fifth session of the General Assembly demonstrated that
the majority of States and NGOs are preparing for the World Conference against Racism, Racial