Statement by the Board of the No Hate Speech Network
On the European Action Day Against Islamophobia, the No Hate Speech Network, would like to raise awareness on the importance of preventing, countering and fights all forms of hate speech, racism and discrimination. Based on the Council of Europe definition, Islamophobia can be defined as the fear of or prejudiced view-point towards Islam, Muslims and matters pertaining to them. Islamophobia is not a new phenomenon but we know that today many Muslim communities in Europe are experiencing an increasingly hostile environment towards them characterised by suspicion,deep-rooted prejudice, ignorance, and, in some cases, physical and verbal harassment.
In its annual report on 2019 activities, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) showed how the normalization of xenophobic nationalism tends to structurally discriminate Muslims in Europe. “Xenophobic nationalism frequently continues to portray Islam as a religion alien to the national culture and identity of many member states. Anti-Muslim rhetoric makes Muslims wearing signs of their religion far more vulnerable, while multiple discrimination worsens the situation further, notably for Muslim women.”
Therefore we call upon all countries to prevent, combat any form of islamophobia that they encounter and promote human rights in their realities.
