A/HRC/29/47
I. Introduction
1.
The present report is submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 69/160,
paragraph 43, in which the Assembly requested the Special Rapporteur to prepare, for
submission to the Human Rights Council at its twenty-ninth session, a report on the
implementation of that resolution on combating glorification of Nazism, neo-Nazism and
other practices that contribute to fuelling contemporary forms of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, based on the views of Governments and
non-governmental organizations.
2.
In paragraph 41 of General Assembly resolution 69/160, the Assembly recalled the
request of the Commission of Human Rights, in its resolution 2005/5, that the Special
Rapporteur continue to reflect on that issue, make relevant recommendations in his future
reports and seek and take into account in that regard the views of Governments and nongovernmental organizations. Furthermore, in accordance with paragraph 43 of Assembly
resolution 69/160, the Special Rapporteur will be submitting a similar report to the
Assembly at its seventieth session.
3.
In section II of the present report, the Special Rapporteur addresses the human rights
and democratic challenges posed by extremist political parties, movements and groups,
including neo-Nazis, skinhead groups and similar extremist ideological movements, in the
context of the current economic crisis. In section III, he examines cyberracism and hate
propaganda disseminated in social media by extremist political parties, movements and
groups. Section IV concerns extremism in sports. Section V is dedicated to countering
Holocaust denial and the distortion of history. The Special Rapporteur identifies good
practices developed by States and different stakeholders in section VI, and section VII
contains his conclusions and recommendations.
II. Information received relating to the existence of extremist
political parties, movements and groups, including neo-Nazis,
skinhead groups and similar extremist ideological movements
4.
In the present section, the Special Rapporteur focuses on information received
relating to the existence of extremist political parties, movements and groups, including
neo-Nazis, skinhead groups and similar extremist ideological movements. The challenges
concern (a) the protection and consolidation of human rights in a democratic context; (b)
protecting victims and vulnerable groups against racist and xenophobic crimes.
A.
Protecting and consolidating democracy and human rights
5.
During the 2001 World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination,
Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in Durban, South Africa, and in the subsequent
Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, States recognized that political manifestos
and organizations based on racism, xenophobia or doctrines of racial superiority and related
discrimination were irreconcilable with principles of democracy and good governance.
6.
As noted in his thematic reports to the Human Rights Council (A/HRC/26/50 and
A/HRC/23/24), the Special Rapporteur has received information that extremist political
parties, movements and groups have continued to gain influence in several countries and
regions. Throughout Europe in particular, there has been an increase in the number of local
and regional parliamentary seats occupied by representatives of extremist political parties.
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