A/HRC/59/63 Azerbaijan 8. Azerbaijan outlined its legal framework protecting against discrimination, reporting that equal rights are guaranteed under its Constitution and national laws, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, language, sex, origin, property status, occupation, beliefs, or affiliation with political parties, trade union organizations or other public associations. In 2023, the mandate of the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of Azerbaijan was reportedly expanded to include an independent mechanism to monitor equality and prevent discrimination. The Ombudsman is also reportedly active in highlighting discrimination outside Azerbaijan, including rising Islamophobia in Europe. 9. Azerbaijan provided information about its laws to combat racist hate speech and prevent incitement to violence and religious extremism and incitement to national, racial or religious hatred or enmity, including on the Internet and social media. Azerbaijan reported that it had been implementing preventative means against the growing weaponization of social media in the dissemination of hateful narratives. Bosnia and Herzegovina 10. Bosnia and Herzegovina outlined its constitutional, legislative and policy measures to combat racial discrimination and hate speech. The 2009 Law on Prohibition of Discrimination (amended in 2015) reportedly protects against discrimination in all areas of work and life, and obliges public institutions to fight against discrimination, to refrain from it, to remove obstacles that can directly or indirectly result in discrimination and to actively create conditions for equal treatment. Bosnia and Herzegovina also reported in its submission that the establishment and operation of fascist and neo-fascist organizations were prohibited by law. 11. The submission provided information about the 2004 Law on Freedom of Religion and the Legal Status of Churches and Religious Communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the work of the Interreligious Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is made up of the Islamic community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church, and the Jewish community of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 12. Bosnia and Herzegovina reported a decrease in ethnically motivated crimes against returnees displaced during the 1992–1995 armed conflict. Brazil 13. Brazil reported a resurgence in extremist and racially or xenophobically motivated groups, warning that they threatened progress under international human rights frameworks. The number of neo-Nazi cells reportedly grew in Brazil from 72 in 2015 to 1,117 in 2022, with increased presence in prisons. Extremist groups are reportedly increasingly using digital platforms to disseminate hate, radicalize members, and recruit, often through coded language. Brazil reported that the spread of fake news and conspiracy theories had fuelled hate speech and normalized xenophobic and racist rhetoric. 14. Brazil reported that far-right actors had spread hate speech, including racial and religious hatred, misogyny and climate denial. Extremist groups were reportedly adopting new strategies and promoting narratives such as “defending the nation” to disguise discriminatory agendas. Brazil reported rising online and physical attacks against marginalized groups, including people of African descent, who were the primary victims of lethal violence. 15. Brazil outlined its legislation, policies and initiatives to promote racial equality, monitor hate speech and prevent violence. These include specialized police stations for intolerance and racism crimes, and affirmative action policies, such as racial quotas in universities and the public service, aimed at correcting historical inequalities and promoting the inclusion of groups that historically have been discriminated against. Brazil emphasized the need for more effective regulation of digital platforms to curb extremism. GE.25-07709 3