A/HRC/35/42 including a rise in discriminatory profiling measures by law enforcement officials targeted at migrants and minority communities. 20. The targeting of vulnerable groups, such as migrants and refugees, is still a growing phenomenon. Muslims and Jews, persons of African descent, indigenous people and members of the Roma community continue to be stigmatized and subjected to violence, insecurity and intolerance through arson attacks on houses or acts of vandalism on places of worship and schools. As already stated in previous reports, minority groups are increasingly being blamed for high unemployment rates, cuts in social benefits and rising poverty. 21. The Special Rapporteur recalls that such expressions of racism and xenophobia, as well as the use of extremist rhetoric for the purpose of re-election, should be condemned. Moreover, political leaders should deal appropriately with social and economic issues, especially during periods of economic recession. According to information received, Muslims have been stigmatized and Muslim women wearing headscarves have been threatened. Some attacks on imams and mosques have also been reported in certain regions. 22. The Special Rapporteur has also received reports on alleged discriminatory laws and policies against the Roma community, especially in Eastern Europe. The level of discrimination, violence and threat faced by indigenous peoples, especially in some Latin American countries, is also worrisome. The Special Rapporteur is deeply concerned by the stigmatization of migrants and refugees and strongly condemns the building of walls and political barriers against people in need of international protection. According to information received, refugees, migrants and asylum seekers have faced mass expulsions, threats to their physical and mental well-being, “pushbacks” and have been refused entry, in violation of the principle of non-refoulement, particularly in Europe and North Africa. The Special Rapporteur also notes an important increase in acts of ill-treatment and poor conditions in reception centres and in transit zones worldwide. 23. The Special Rapporteur remains concerned about allegations of excessive use of force against unarmed migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, either by law enforcement officers or police forces in the context of forced evacuations, arrests and mass expulsions. Cases of extremism in police forces and allegations of torture by officers have also been reported. Allegations of police forces openly promoting far-right and xenophobic ideas in the exercise of their official positions as guardians of public order and civil servants of the State have been brought to the attention of the Special Rapporteur (see A/HRC/23/24, A/HRC/29/47 and A/HRC/32/49). 24. The reluctance of some officers to intervene to stop harassment, verbal abuse or violent attacks and/or to receive complaints from victims of racist and xenophobic crimes, particularly migrants and those from minority groups, and to investigate those incidents, is particularly worrying. These different elements reinforce the existing trend of unreported racist crimes, creating a climate of fear that results in for victims being reluctant to report incidents to the appropriate authorities, especially if they are in a precarious or irregular situation. This lack of trust is exacerbated by language barriers and ignorance of their rights (see A/HRC/23/24 and A/HRC/29/4), and creates an atmosphere of impunity for perpetrators of such crimes. 25. The Special Rapporteur recommends that States and civil society organizations establish accurate and up-to-date data, disaggregated by sex and ethnicity, particularly regarding irregular migrants and asylum seekers, as well as detailed systems for recording, reporting and monitoring such incidents and for encouraging victims to report them. The Special Rapporteur is also concerned at allegations of increasing police involvement in crimes of sexual and gender-based violence against women of African descent and women from ethnic minorities, which often go unreported or are not thoroughly investigated. 26. The Special Rapporteur also expresses concern at the glorification of Nazi movements in specific areas. He notes the recurrence of populist practices that fuel contemporary forms of racism and pose a challenge to the protection and consolidation of democracy and human rights, and the protection of vulnerable groups of individuals against racist and xenophobic crimes. 5