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Counteraction to manifestations of neo-Nazism

Doc. 13593: compendium of written amendments | Doc. 13593 | Final version

Contents

A Draft Resolution
B Draft Recommendation

Compendium index

Amendment 1 Amendment 2 Amendment 11 Amendment 12 Amendment 13 Amendment 3 Amendment 6 Amendment 8 Amendment 7 Amendment 9 Amendment 5 Amendment 4 Amendment 10

Caption: AdoptedRejectedWithdrawnNo electronic votes

ADraft Resolution

1The Parliamentary Assembly unequivocally condemns the increasing number of manifestations of neo-Nazism (right-wing extremism) and the rise of neo-Nazi parties and movements in Europe, some of which have entered parliament at national or European level. This is not an isolated phenomenon particular to some Council of Europe member States, but rather a problem with pan-European dimensions. It often lays dormant in society until the right conditions for emergence come about. It can thus only be effectively tackled on the basis of shared experiences and good practice among member States.

22 September 2014

Tabled by the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination

Votes: 113 in favor 11 against 8 abstentions

In the title of the draft resolution, after the words "neo-Nazism", add the words "and right-wing extremism".

Explanatory note

Some of the phenomena described in the report are linked to individuals and organisations not defining themselves as neo-Nazis. The amendment aims to ensure that the title reflects the scope of the report more clearly.

2If popular disappointment over harsh economic conditions and frustration triggered by governmental failures to implement comprehensive migration policies may, in some cases, partly explain the rising popularity of neo-Nazi parties as a “protest vote”, this only further enhances the responsibility of government representatives and democratic politicians, who should stand up and unite in defending democratic values. Neo-Nazis should not be ignored; they should not be turned into martyrs either.

22 September 2014

Tabled by the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination

Votes: 29 in favor 83 against 12 abstentions

In the draft resolution, after paragraph 2, insert the following paragraph:

"The Assembly expresses grave concern over the growing trend towards glorification in any form of the Nazi movement, neo-Nazism and former members of the Waffen SS organisation, including through building monuments and memorials and organising public demonstrations. The Assembly recalls that the Charter of the Nuremberg Tribunal and the judgment of the Tribunal recognised as criminal the SS organisation and all its elements, including the Waffen SS, the division "Galicia" and others."

3Although symbols and structures of the past, such as party logos reminiscent of swastikas, are still being used, the strategies of neo-Nazi activists in the public arena are becoming progressively more sophisticated and thus more difficult to identify and counteract. The ever increasing use of the Internet as the main platform for extremist propaganda and co-ordination makes monitoring and counteraction even harder.
4The Assembly notes that the majority of young people who join extremist groups do so in their early teens or even before. Neo-Nazi parties also tend to develop programmes and structures that particularly attract children below the voting age, at schools or holiday camps.

29 September 2014

Tabled by Ms Vasiliki KATRIVANOU, Mr Andrej HUNKO, Mr Tiny KOX, Mr Konstantinos TRIANTAFYLLOS, Mr Dimitrios SALTOUROS, Ms Maria GIANNAKAKI

Votes: 99 in favor 18 against 9 abstentions

In the draft resolution paragraph 4, after the word "join", insert the following words: "right-wing".

5The Assembly therefore believes that in the fight against neo-Nazism, the focus should be on prevention through education and awareness raising, and early reaction, at grass-roots level, to any manifestations of neo-Nazism, whether violent or not, be it by organised groups or radicalised individuals. Identification of early signals should allow for timely action against radicalisation and nip neo-Nazi activities in the bud, before the problem spins out of control.
6Experience has shown that, to be effective, timely action should be co-ordinated by the entire community and accompanied by a clear political message, at the highest level, that any manifestation of neo-Nazism, including hate crime and hate speech, cannot be tolerated in a democratic State governed by the rule of law. Victim support and exit support measures are also indispensable tools in counteracting neo-Nazism.

22 September 2014

Tabled by the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination

Votes: 27 in favor 88 against 9 abstentions

In the draft resolution, after paragraph 6, insert the following paragraph:

"The Assembly considers unacceptable any form of tolerance towards the actions of people and organisations practising neo-Nazism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, homophobia and transphobia, hatred towards representatives of other peoples or religions, intolerance against Roma people, migrants and national minorities. Such actions must immediately be publicly condemned and the perpetrators should be prosecuted."

7In the light of these considerations, and referring to concrete examples of experiences and good practice, the Assembly calls on member States to:
7.1design cross-sectorial strategies to prevent and combat neo-Nazi ideology, including social, economic and cultural strategies to reduce the breeding grounds for this ideology;
7.2develop national action plans and appoint national co-ordinators against right-wing extremism to provide a framework for and co-ordination among public institutions at all levels and civil society initiatives;
7.3promote and support, through regular public funding, specific civil society initiatives and projects designed to prevent or combat neo-Nazism or other forms of racism, hatred and anti-Semitism, in the local arena and everyday life, including online;

29 September 2014

Tabled by Mr Reha DENEMEÇ, Mr Şaban DİŞLİ, Mr Ömer SELVİ, Mr Yıldırım Tuğrul TÜRKEŞ, Ms Tülin ERKAL KARA, Mr Samad SEYIDOV

Votes: 36 in favor 87 against 10 abstentions

In the draft resolution, paragraph 7.3, replace the words "and anti-Semitism", with the following words: ", anti-Semitism and Islamophobia".

Explanatory note

Migrants, especially Muslims, have been the main target of the violent Neo-Nazi attacks in Europe, in particular Germany. Islamophobic attacks against mosques in Western European countries, continue unabated. Therefore the resolution should make a reference to Islamophobia as a form of modern extremism that is to be confronted.

7.4enhance research, in particular pedagogical, as well as international co-operation and exchange of good practice in the field of preventing and combating neo-Nazism;
7.5continue to support, including through voluntary contributions, or start implementing (as appropriate) the Council of Europe campaign entitled “No Hate Speech Movement” involving young people all across Europe.
8More specifically, the Assembly calls on member States:
8.1as regards prevention, to:
8.1.1encourage and support, through public funding, joint and well co-ordinated timely action against radicalisation by the entire community, including local police and all societal actors, such as schools, childcare services, parents' groups, mayors and relevant municipal departments, churches, trade unions and professional organisations, as well as civil society groups, including voluntary organisations, victim support groups, refugee councils and youth representatives;
8.1.2specially train law-enforcement officials in preventive action and provide and support preventive policing tools (such as “empowerment conversations”) addressed mainly to teenagers who show signs of radicalisation and their families;
8.1.3ensure the continuing development of strategies and technologies to reduce the influence of social media on the recruitment to and promotion of neo-Nazism;
8.1.4ensure that any data, analyses and especially early signals made available by local actors and civil society are shared with public institutions and law-enforcement forces engaged in the prevention or fight against neo-Nazism, and that they receive quick and proper attention at political level;

29 September 2014

Tabled by Mr Axel FISCHER, Ms Doris BARNETT, Ms Karin STRENZ, Ms Gabriela HEINRICH, Mr Johann David WADEPHUL

Votes: 123 in favor 3 against 6 abstentions

In the draft resolution, paragraph 8.1.4, after the word "any", insert the following word: "relevant".

8.2as regards education, to:
8.2.1enhance education for democratic citizenship and human rights awareness measures in schools, starting from the primary level, thus enabling children to stand up for democratic values from the outset; this should also include education against hate speech and in particular its online dimensions;
8.2.2enhance teaching of 20th-century history and in particular the period around the Second World War;
8.2.3train teachers on human rights and democratic citizenship and assist parents in actively supporting their children;
8.2.4support educational projects and teaching methods aimed at tackling antidemocratic ideologies, such as neo-Nazism and anti-Semitism, a phenomenon which goes well beyond neo-Nazi groups;

29 September 2014

Tabled by Mr Reha DENEMEÇ, Mr Şaban DİŞLİ, Mr Ömer SELVİ, Mr Yıldırım Tuğrul TÜRKEŞ, Ms Tülin ERKAL KARA, Mr Samad SEYIDOV

Votes: 34 in favor 96 against 6 abstentions

In the draft resolution, paragraph 8.2.4, replace the words "and anti-Semitism" with the following words: ", anti-Semitism and Islamophobia".

Explanatory note

I would like to lay emphasis on the fact that although xenophobic parties and ideologies challenge immigration policies and multi ehtnic society as a whole, most of their hostility is focused on Muslim immigrants. In many cases xenophobia, racism and neo-nazism have transformed into anti-Islamism.

8.3as regards law enforcement, to:
8.3.1provide, and effectively implement, a comprehensive legal framework on hate speech and hate crime, in line with the specific recommendations made by the Assembly in its Resolution 1967 (2014) on a strategy to prevent racism and intolerance in Europe, and those made by other Council of Europe bodies, notably the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) and the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights;
8.3.2to make party leaders and members, including members of parliament, criminally liable for using hate speech or committing hate crime or any other criminal offence, reacting timely and effectively;
8.3.3train judges, prosecutors and law-enforcement officials on hate crime and hate speech so that they can also identify crimes with a neo-Nazi background;
8.3.4ensure efficient co-operation and co-ordination, based on regular exchange of information, among the various law-enforcement bodies;
8.3.5 strike the right balance between the need to protect, on the one hand, the freedom of expression and right to privacy of members of right-wing extremist groups and, on the other, the fundamental rights of democratic groups wishing to react and prevent or block manifestations organised by extremists;

29 September 2014

Tabled by Ms Vasiliki KATRIVANOU, Mr Andrej HUNKO, Mr Tiny KOX, Mr Konstantinos TRIANTAFYLLOS, Mr Dimitrios SALTOUROS, Ms Maria GIANNAKAKI

Votes: 100 in favor 20 against 15 abstentions

In the draft resolution paragraph 8.3.5, replace the word "organised by extremists" with the following words: "organised by right-wing extremists."

8.3.6 ensure accelerated proceedings in the investigation, prosecution and trial of cases of neo-Nazi violence by adolescents, in co-operation with the families of the offenders and civil society networks, so as to enhance the deterrent effect on other adolescents;

29 September 2014

Tabled by Ms Vasiliki KATRIVANOU, Mr Andrej HUNKO, Mr Tiny KOX, Mr Konstantinos TRIANTAFYLLOS, Mr Dimitrios SALTOUROS, Ms Maria GIANNAKAKI

Votes: 128 in favor 2 against 3 abstentions

In the draft resolution paragraph 8.3.6, delete the words ", prosecution and trial"; and after the word "networks", insert the following words: "focusing on efficient exit support measures,".

8.3.7design strategies for police and intelligence services, including online policing, to face the special challenges raised by neo-Nazi hate speech online;
8.4as regards victim support and witness protection, to:
8.4.1encourage victims of neo-Nazism and witnesses to speak up in line with the specific recommendations made by the Assembly in its Resolution 1967 (2014);
8.4.2enhance victim support measures, promote victim support groups and ensure regular public funding for this purpose;
8.4.3provide specific protection to illegal immigrants who have been victims of hate crimes until a judicial decision becomes final;
8.5as regards exit support, to:
8.5.1design strategies and programmes to help and support those wishing to leave neo-Nazi movements, as well as their families, including by offering ways of changing their outlook on life, jobs or professional training;
8.5.2engage former participants in the neo-Nazi sphere, with the necessary personal skills and motivation, in efforts to extricate others;
8.5.3promote and support, including through regular public funding, civil society exit projects.
9The Assembly further urges:
9.1politicians, both at national and European levels, to take up the debate with neo-Nazis and expose them publicly by clearly and unequivocally challenging, rejecting and condemning neo-Nazi ideology and rhetoric;
9.2democratic parties to unite around a “democratic consensus” and unanimously oppose neo-Nazi parties inside and outside parliament;
9.3national parliaments to:
9.3.1ensure that no public funding is allocated to parties promoting hate speech and hate crime;
9.3.2adopt codes of conduct including safeguards against hate speech and hate crime on any grounds.
10The Assembly invites its members to join and support the activities of:
10.1the No Hate Parliamentary Alliance and all parliamentary groups who work towards the same objective;
10.2the national committees set up in the context of the Council of Europe No Hate Speech Movement.
11To remember the victims of the tragic attack of 22 July 2011, committed by a neo-Nazi in Oslo and on the island of Utøya, and to enhance awareness, the Assembly fully supports the initiative by youth activists to make 22 July the European Day for Victims of Hate Crime.

29 September 2014

Tabled by Ms Ingjerd Schie SCHOU, Ms Lise CHRISTOFFERSEN, Mr Morten WOLD, Mr Frank J. JENSSEN, Ms Ingebjørg GODSKESEN, Sir Christopher CHOPE, Mr Mariusz KAMIŃSKI, Sir Roger GALE, Mr Reha DENEMEÇ, Mr Robert WALTER, Ms Yuliya LOVOCHKINA

In the draft resolution, replace paragraph 11 with the following paragraph:

"In order to raise public awareness against hate crime in Europe, and to show solidarity with those targeted and those left to mourn, the Assembly fully supports the initiative by the youth campaign to make the day of the terrorist attack in Oslo and at Utøya, the 22 July, the European Day for Victims of Hate Crime."

Explanatory note

Paragraph 11 should emphasize the ambitions for a European Day for Victims of Hate Crime. Reference to the terrorist's motivation, should not be limited to neo-Nazi ideology. Hate crime is the result of a wide range of extremism and radicalization, not of a specific ideology.

CDraft Recommendation

1The Parliamentary Assembly refers to its Resolution ... (2014) on counteraction to manifestations of neo-Nazism, whereby it unequivocally condemns the increasing number of manifestations of neo-Nazism (right-wing extremism) and the rising popularity of neo-Nazi parties in Europe.

22 September 2014

Tabled by the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination

In the title of the draft recommendation, after the words "neo-Nazism", add the words "and right-wing extremism".

Explanatory note

Some of the phenomena described in the report are linked to individuals and organisations not defining themselves as neo-Nazis. The amendment aims to ensure that the title reflects the scope of the report more clearly.

22 September 2014

Tabled by the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination

Votes: 31 in favor 92 against 5 abstentions

In the draft recommendation, paragraph 1, after the words "increasing number of manifestations of neo-Nazism (right-wing extremism)", add the following words: ", of xenophobia, anti-Semitism, homophobia and transphobia, hatred towards representatives of other peoples, religions, intolerance against Roma people, migrants and national minorities".

2Considering that this is not an isolated phenomenon particular to some Council of Europe member States, but rather a problem with pan-European dimensions, often lying dormant in society until the right conditions for emergence come about, the Assembly believes it can only be effectively tackled on the basis of shared experiences and good practice among member States.
3The Assembly therefore asks the Committee of Ministers to:
3.1consider possible ways for the Council of Europe to co-ordinate the various member States' efforts against right-wing extremism, in particular by ensuring exchange of experiences and good practice;
3.2support member States in their fight against right-wing extremism though demand-driven co-operation programmes;

29 September 2014

Tabled by Ms Marietta de POURBAIX-LUNDIN, Ms Maria GIANNAKAKI, Ms Stella KYRIAKIDES, Ms Ingjerd Schie SCHOU, Mr Frank J. JENSSEN

In the draft recommendation, after paragraph 3.2, insert the following paragraph:

"support the initiative by the youth campaign and declare the day of the terrorist attack in Oslo and at Utøya, the 22 July, the European Day for Victims of Hate Crime."

3.3bring to the attention of the governments of the member States the specific recommendations included in Resolution ... (2014).