24 November, 2014

HATE SPEECH IS A VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS. In December the Hate Speech Watch dedicates its activities to speaking up for Human Rights Online and we invite YOU to report any online Human Right violations on the Internet. The action day will have special attention to the issues around refugees and recent Human Rights violations in and around Europe. Our actions will reflect messages of solidarity towards refugees, will include counter narratives against hate speech towards them. Actions will also call for commemorating the victims of hate crimes that happened recently and our content will also express that no crime can justify hate speech against people who belong or seem to have similar identity with those who committed the violent act. See detailed content and concept of the Action Day here. 

The terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday 13 November, which follow the recent bombings in Beirut, in Ankara and the shooting down of a Russian plane in Egypt, have prompted countless reactions of solidarity, sorrow and fear. Fear of becoming a target of terrorism, fear about the reactions and their consequences, fear for the future. These attacks are a brutal expression of hatred and an example of the extreme consequences of hate speech. We cannot counter hate with hate: we must be able to mobilise our courage to respond with humanity, dignity and confidence in the values that unite us all: human rights, freedom, equality and solidarity. Courage to denounce all forms of hate speech and violent extremism; courage to recognise the humanity in all victims of terrorism; courage to work together to make sure that the terrorists and the preachers of hatred do not win. The No Hate Speech Movement campaign is a positive form of engagement that unites young people across national borders, cultures and religions. We need to continue working together, united to bring about all the potential of the campaign and to bring hope to anyone overcome by fear. Dignity, solidarity and courage must lead us forwards, also as a form of honoring the victims – all innocent – of terrorism.The Council of Europe as the main European institution protecting and promoting Human Rights in Europe has developed instruments to safeguard the human rights and freedoms in its 47 member states. The promotion and defense of Human Rights are central to the Council of Europe’s work, notably through the European Convention on Human Rights (and the European Court on Human Rights) and the work of the Human Rights Commissioner.  All the work of the Council of Europe in the field of human rights is of direct relevance for the No Hate Speech Movement campaign.The Human Rights Day is very important for our campaign because we campaign for human rights online but also because hate speech concerns various human rights. This day is also an opportunity to reach out and link with national institutions concerned with human rights across Europe.. This should also help us arguing for more solidarity, more inclusion and more responsibility of us individually as well as collectively. This Day can also give more visibility of the work of the Human Rights Commissioner, the European Court of Human Rights and the specific policies of the Council of Europe regarding different human rights issues which have also been reflected on our campaign.The Action Day for Human Rights Online in the framework of the No Hate Speech Movement will celebrate the International Human Rights Day (10 December) by mobilising all actors involved in the campaign - from national campaign committees to young  volunteers - to take action for human rights respect both online and offline. The specific focus of the Day  shall be on advocating for more efficient and responsible actions safeguarding Human Rights online and combating hate speech by the social media companies, online game providers and Internet users. The action day will aim to combat ignorance and silence of people when facing hate speech online and supporting them, to react and act in respect of Human Rights online by providing information and guidelines about possible actions they can easily do themselves, and also to advocate for more effective involvement of social media companies in combating hate speech and promoting Human Rights online.* Human Rights Day is celebrated annually across the world on 10 December. The date was chosen to honour the United Nations General Assembly's adoption and proclamation, on 10 December 1948, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the first global enunciation of human rights and one of the first major achievements of the new United Nations. The formal establishment of Human Rights Day occurred at the 317th Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly on 4 December 1950, when the General Assembly declared resolution 423(V), inviting all member states and any other interested organizations to celebrate the day.