Raising awareness of and countering Islamophobia, or anti-Muslim racism, in Europe
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Assembly
debate on 11 October 2022 (29th sitting) (see Doc. 15616, report of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination,
rapporteur: Mr Momodou Malcolm Jallow). Text
adopted by the Assembly on 11 October 2022 (29th sitting).
1. Islamophobia, or anti-Muslim racism
(the two terms are used interchangeably in this Resolution), is
a form of racism, intolerance and discrimination against Muslims
and those who are perceived as Muslims. While linked to religion,
Islamophobia cannot be reduced to discrimination based on the grounds
of religion, as it results from a “racialised” perception based
on various markers that include ethnic or national origin, appearance
and cultural characteristics, and may overlap with anti-immigrant
sentiments, xenophobia and social class bias.
2. As highlighted by the European Commission against Racism and
Intolerance (ECRI), anti-Muslim racism can be manifested, implicitly
or explicitly, not only in individual attitudes and actions, but
also structurally in policy initiatives or institutional arrangements.
Its manifestations include prejudice, stigmatisation, discrimination
(including profiling), hate speech and hate crime, as well as exclusion
from key areas of life such as education, employment and housing.
3. Women are disproportionately affected by Islamophobia, as
they face multiple and intersectional discrimination and are often
more easily identifiable as Muslim. Measures to address anti-Muslim
racism and discrimination should consistently be based on an intersectional
approach, taking into consideration grounds of discrimination including
gender, ethnic origin, migrant background, religion, sexual orientation,
gender identity, gender expression and sexual characteristics.
4. The Parliamentary Assembly is deeply concerned by the constant
increase in signs of Islamophobia in Europe, with a dramatic spike
in recent years, as denounced by numerous human rights and equality
bodies at European and global levels.
5. The Assembly condemns the use of Islamophobic rhetoric in
public and political discourse, particularly by populist and far-right
movements, but which often spreads to mainstream politics. It believes
that stereotyping based on depicting Muslims as alien to, and incompatible
with, European culture and values leads to further stigmatisation
and exclusion. The Assembly also denounces racist and Islamophobic
conspiracy theories, notably the fabricated idea that non-white
people and Muslims aim to outnumber the rest of the European population
(the “great replacement” theory).
6. The Assembly is convinced that Council of Europe member States
should strive to create an open and inclusive society and address
the root causes of anti-Muslim racism and discrimination, including
stereotyping, prejudice, stigmatisation and scapegoating of individuals
and groups perceived as different from the majority of the population.
7. Stressing that Islamophobia is a severe violation of human
rights and human dignity, which undermines social cohesion and peaceful
living together in Europe, the Assembly calls on Council of Europe
member States to address this phenomenon as a matter of priority,
as a specific form of racism, and for its specific inclusion in
anti-discrimination and anti-racism action plans.
8. Referring to its
Resolution
1840 (2011) “Human rights and the fight against terrorism”
and
Resolution 2031 (2015) “Terrorist
attacks in Paris: together for a democratic response”, the Assembly
stresses that the fight against terrorism, vital for the safety
of citizens and the protection of democratic institutions, must be
conducted ensuring respect for human rights, the rule of law and
the common values upheld by the Council of Europe.
9. The Assembly welcomes the adoption of the ECRI revised General
Policy Recommendation No. 5 on preventing and combating anti-Muslim
racism and discrimination and considers that it should be fully implemented
by the public authorities in Council of Europe member States and
beyond to prevent and counter this form of racism.
10. The Assembly welcomes the adoption by the Committee of Ministers,
on 20 May 2022, of Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)16 to member States
on combating hate speech, and considers that it should be fully
implemented by Council of Europe member States. The recommendation
contains indications to State authorities on countering hate speech
through civil, administrative and criminal law as well as alternative measures.
The recommendation also includes guidance for other stakeholders,
including public officials, political parties, internet intermediaries,
media and civil society organisations.
11. The Assembly welcomes the unanimous decision by the United
Nations General Assembly to proclaim 15 March as the International
Day to Combat Islamophobia, as an opportunity both to commemorate
victims of this form of discrimination and to raise awareness, with
a view to preventing and countering anti-Muslim racism.
12. The Assembly acknowledges and supports the work of civil society
organisations in countering all forms of racism, intolerance and
discrimination, including Islamophobia. Referring to its
Resolution 2362 (2021) and
Recommendation 2194 (2021) “Restrictions
on NGO activities in Council of Europe member States”, the Assembly
reiterates that non-governmental organisations (NGOs) make an essential
contribution to the progress and development of democracy, the rule
of law and human rights, and that Council of Europe member States
are required, in particular, to ensure respect for the rights to
freedom of expression, assembly and association.
13. Referring to its
Resolution
2222 (2018) “Promoting diversity and equality in politics”,
the Assembly reiterates that parliaments and other elected institutions
should fully reflect in this particular context the complex diversity
of European societies.
14. In the light of these considerations, the Assembly calls on
Council of Europe member and observer States, as well as on all
States whose parliaments enjoy observer or partner for democracy
status to the Assembly, to:
14.1 regarding
anti-racism and anti-discrimination legislation and policies:
14.1.1 adopt action plans on preventing and combating Islamophobia
or ensure that action plans on racism and discrimination refer to
and address Islamophobia specifically;
14.1.2 improve data collection and ensure that equality data
are available to support the design, implementation, monitoring
and assessment of anti-discrimination legislation and policies.
Equality data to prevent and counter Islamophobia should be disaggregated
by gender, national and ethnic origin and religion, and should be
collected anonymously, voluntarily and based on an individual’s
self-identification as belonging to certain groups;
14.1.3 ensure full enjoyment of the right to freedom of thought,
conscience and religion as stipulated by Article 9 of the European
Convention on Human Rights;
14.1.4 engage in co-operation with and provide support to civil
society organisations active in anti-racism, equality and non-discrimination,
including those working specifically on Islamophobia and representing
Muslim individuals and communities;
14.1.5 encourage and support dialogue and co-operation between
groups and communities of different religious backgrounds;
14.1.6 sign and ratify Protocol No. 12 to the Convention for
the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ETS No. 177)
and the Additional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime, concerning
the criminalisation of acts of a racist and xenophobic nature committed through
computer systems (ETS No. 189), if they have not already done so;
14.1.7 disseminate and fully implement ECRI’s revised General
Policy Recommendation No. 5 on preventing and combating anti-Muslim
racism and discrimination, and strengthen co-operation with ECRI
while fully supporting its monitoring activities;
14.1.8 disseminate and fully implement Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)16
of the Committee of Ministers to member States on combating hate
speech;
14.2 regarding anti-terror measures:
14.2.1 ensure
that counter-terrorism legislation and policies are sufficiently
circumscribed to avoid them being used in arbitrary and discriminatory
ways;
14.2.2 refrain from applying unclear or overly broad definitions
of “terrorism” and ensure that each constituent element of terrorism-related
offences is precisely defined, in accordance with the principle
of legality;
14.2.3 ensure that the application of counter-terrorism measures
is adequately justified and that these measures are not applied
automatically or beyond their legal purpose;
14.2.4 refrain from the dissolution of any institution, including
Muslim civil society organisations, unless demonstrably necessary
and proportionate, and ensure that judicial procedures are available
to appeal dissolution decisions;
14.3 regarding awareness raising, information and education:
14.3.1 conduct awareness-raising and information campaigns and
activities targeting the general public to convey the message that
preventing and combating Islamophobia, like any other form of racism,
is the responsibility of all members of society;
14.3.2 provide public officials in all sectors of administration,
including education, healthcare, law enforcement and the judiciary,
with training on racism and discrimination issues, enabling them
to prevent and react to discrimination and harassment linked to
Islamophobia and other forms of racism;
14.3.3 ensure that school curriculums, in particular in history,
geography, literature and religion, as appropriate, include accurate
information on the presence of Muslim people in Europe and their
contribution to European culture and development.
15. The Assembly highlights that particular attention must be
paid to preventing and countering discrimination against Muslim
women, as detailed in
Resolution
1887 (2012) “Multiple discrimination against Muslim women
in Europe: for equal opportunities”.
16. The Assembly calls on political leaders to speak out against
Islamophobia and all other forms of intolerance, and on political
parties to sign the Charter of European Political Parties for a
Non-racist and Inclusive Society as endorsed in its
Resolution 2443 (2022) “The
role of political parties in fostering diversity and inclusion:
a new charter for a non-racist society”.
17. The Assembly calls on the media and cultural industries, including
the press, television and online news providers, to ensure accurate,
unbiased reporting of news and information that are relevant to
Muslim individuals and groups, and to refrain from negative stereotyping
and stigmatisation of Muslims.
18. The Assembly invites the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations
and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring
Committee) and its rapporteurs to pay due attention to manifestations
of Islamophobia, in the context of racism and intolerance, when
conducting monitoring procedures and periodic reviews of the membership
obligations and commitments entered into by Council of Europe member
States.
