A/HRC/32/49
fight against impunity. States should ensure prompt, thorough and impartial
investigation into such crimes, and that those responsible are adequately sanctioned.
21.
The Special Rapporteur urges States to ensure that victims of crimes motivated
by racism or xenophobia have full access to effective legal remedies, including the
right to seek reparation for damages suffered as a result of such crimes. He also
recommends that States ensure that victims of racist or xenophobic crimes are
provided with the necessary legal, medical and psychological assistance and are made
aware of their rights and of existing judicial and non-judicial remedies. States should
further engage with vulnerable groups or minorities who are at particular risk of
racist or xenophobic crimes, with the aim of restoring confidence in law enforcement
officials and the criminal justice system, and facilitate better reporting of such crimes.
C.
Disaggregated data
22.
The Special Rapporteur reiterates the recommendations made in previous
reports, in particular those made in his most recent report submitted to the General
Assembly (A/70/335), that States should collect disaggregated data and statistics on
racist, xenophobic and anti-Semitic crimes in order to identify the types of offences
committed, the characteristics of the victims and of the perpetrators and whether they
are affiliated with an extremist political party, movement or group. States should
provide adequate financial, human and technical resources to improve the quality of
data collection systems where those already exist, while ensuring that civil society is
involved in the process, which is to be undertaken in such a way as to guarantee the
protection of privacy.
D.
Education
23.
The Special Rapporteur recalls that education remains the most effective
means of countering the negative influence that extremist political parties, movements
and groups may have on young people. Recalling paragraph 136 of the Durban
Programme of Action, and his relevant thematic report submitted to the Human
Rights Council at its twenty-third session (A/HRC/23/56), he recommends that States
recognize the important role of education in combating racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance, especially in promoting the principles of
tolerance of and respect for ethnic, religious and cultural diversity and preventing the
proliferation of extremist racist and xenophobic movements and propaganda, in
particular among young people. He also reiterates his recommendation made in the
said report that States should recognize the important role of formal and non-formal
education in the deconstruction of prejudices, the positive change of negative
perceptions, greater understanding and stronger social cohesion.
24.
The Special Rapporteur condemns any denial or attempt to deny the Holocaust
and all manifestations of religious intolerance, incitement, harassment or violence
against persons or communities based on ethnic origin or religious belief. He
encourages States to take concrete measures, including legislative and educational
ones, such as inclusion of education about the Holocaust in school curricula, so as to
prevent revisionism of the Second World War, the denial of the Holocaust and the
Nazi genocide. He also encourages the active preservation of the sites that served as
Nazi death camps, concentration and forced labour camps and prisons.
E.
Capacity-building
25.
The Special Rapporteur recommends that the capacity of law enforcement
officials and members of the judiciary be strengthened further to address crimes
6