A/HRC/32/50
“political, social, cultural and economic exclusion and marginalization that are likely to
cause displacement of populations or persons by virtue of their social identity, religion or
political opinion”.15
(c)
Europe
21.
Article 14 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental
Freedoms (European Convention on Human Rights) and article 1 of Protocol No. 12 thereto
require States parties to secure enjoyment of the rights “without discrimination on any
ground such as sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or
social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or other status”. The
European Court of Human Rights has requested member States to give due consideration to
racist or xenophobic intention in the commission of crimes, during the final assessment of
penalties.16 Moreover, the court has emphasized that States parties must investigate and
enact sanctions with respect to racist or xenophobic acts. 17
22.
The Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, of 1995, calls
upon States parties to “protect persons who may be subject to threats or acts of
discrimination, hostility or violence as a result of their ethnic, cultural, linguistic or
religious identity”. Additionally, the European Convention on the Legal Status of Migrant
Workers requires signatories to eliminate discrimination in national legislation so as to
provide equal treatment to migrant workers.
23.
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance has emphasized the need
for States to adopt criminal, civil and administrative law provisions expressly countering
racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism and intolerance.18 It has also called on member States to
establish specialized advisory, supervisory and grievance bodies at the national level to
counter such prejudice.19
24.
The European Union’s Racial Equality Directive20 prohibits both direct and indirect
discrimination in member States on the basis of race or ethnicity, with respect to
employment and access to other social services such as education, social security, health
care, social advantages, and supply of goods and services. In November 2008, the Council
of Europe adopted the Framework Decision on combating certain forms and expressions of
racism and xenophobia by means of criminal law, which is aimed at harmonizing
substantive criminal law on racist and xenophobic offences. This is to ensure that the same
conduct constitutes an offence in all countries of the European Union and that no person
can escape liability by changing jurisdiction.
25.
The Audiovisual Media Services Directive requires member States to ensure that
services provided by audiovisual media services providers do not contain any incitement to
hatred based on race, sex, religion or nationality. In addition, member States should ensure
that media services providers comply with the requirement that audiovisual commercial
communications must not prejudice respect for human dignity or include or promote any
15
16
17
18
19
20
8
See art. 3.
European Court of Human Rights, Nachova and others v. Bulgaria (Nos. 43577/98 and 43579/98),
6 July 2005; and Stoica v. Romania, (No. 42722/02), 4 March 2008.
Ibid.
European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, general policy recommendation No. 1.
European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, general policy recommendation No. 2.
Council Directive 2000/43/EC.