Legal Instruments To Combat Racism And Xenophobia

Europe has come a long way at least in the institutional response to racism. This book describes the responses of the Council of Europe and the European Union to the worrying trends of racism and xenophobia in the 1990s, and considers the prospects for combating discrimination in Europe using tools that have emerged as a result.

Various national and international legal instruments punish hate speech. However, the specific nature of the Internet calls for the adoption of new strategies to combat hate speech promoting racism and violence, which is widely and swiftly disseminated on the web. As the Internet ignores territories and has no boundaries, states cannot control it effectively by unilateral national regulation; what is needed is increased international co-operation. Efforts to harmonise national legislation - including the Additional Protocol to the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime - have come up against a series of difficulties. One of these is the fact that there is no universally accepted definition of the illegal nature of racist speech, which can be protected by the right to freedom of expression. This book describes the situation in 10 Council of Europe member and observer, states and discusses the problems faced and solutions introduced by these countries, as well as by European and international organisations and civil society.

This unique volume offers a survey of legal and legislative means to combat racism, xenophobia, anti-semitism and other forms of related intolerance. Its aim is threefold: 1) to provide a legal model for fighting racism, xenophobia, anti-semitism and discrimination through domestic legislation; 2) to compare existing national legislation with international legal instruments designed to combat racial and other forms of discrimination, in order to bring domestic laws into line with international legal norms; 3) to provide a tool for researchers, legislators, human rights activists and all those who work to protect the rights of minorities and victims of incitement and discrimination, as well as for domestic and international institutions, which monitor compliance with these laws. The survey thus constitutes a major contribution to the study of racism and anti-semitism because it demonstrates how these phenomena can be fought through the medium of the law. The volume consists of two sections: the first, containing international conventions; the second, and main section, containing current constitutional law, specific legislation and ratification of international conventions in (over 200) individual states.

Europe has come a long way at least in the institutional response to racism. This book describes the responses of the Council of Europe and the European Union to the worrying trends of racism and xenophobia in the 1990s, and considers the prospects for combating discrimination in Europe using tools that have emerged as a result. Part one looks at the evolution of the Council of Europe apparatus to combat discrimination and the anti-discrimination standards prescribed by its institutions. Part two considers the legislative measures recently adopted by the European Union. The contributions in Part three take a comparative perspective of all measures adopted at European level to combat racial and ethnic discrimination.

The principle of non-discrimination underlies society's goal of achieving relative equality among all human beings. This book by an internationally acclaimed practitioner provides the materials necessary for understanding how international law protects individuals from the discrimination. It includes treaties, other instruments, cases, and a concise description of the law. ISBN 978-0-9743-5704-1.

During the past decade, many American countries amended their constitutions and enacted laws protecting the rights of indigenous people. The second volume of 'Legislating for Equality' offers a useful compendium for governmental and non-governmental agencies, civil rights practitioners and researchers, outlining the legal framework in many nations on matters relating to discrimination on the basis of race, religion and ethnicity, prohibition of hate crimes and hate speech, and the protection of minorities.