02-05-2022

Alketa Hotaj

Europe and Human Rights Researcher,

Global Human Rights Defence

Muslims or those perceived to be Muslims endure discrimination, stigmatisation, and exclusion in many spheres of life, including employment, education, as well as racist violence and speech, particularly online. This occurs despite the fact that the European Convention on Human Rights protects individuals from being subjected to discrimination in accordance with Article 14, whereas Article 9 safeguards the right to freely practise one's faith.  Islamophobia is a form of racism that has to be addressed as quickly as possible, particularly on the European continent.

This appears to be one of the most important focuses of Ireland's six-month Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, as evidenced by the country's decision to host a seminar on racism and anti-Muslim discrimination at the Council of Europe under the title "Fáilte: growing a Europe of welcome, inclusion, and diversity." This decision was made in the wake of a string of antisemitic and religiously intolerant incidents that transpired in the year 2021.

A hybrid event will be held on June 7th, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., where international and national experts have been invited to share their experience, put forward proposals, and discuss the issues raised in the General Policy Recommendation by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) on preventing and combating anti-Muslim racism and discrimination. 

Sources and Further Reading

Council of Europe. (2022). Save the date Expert seminar on anti-Muslim racism and discrimination. Council of Europe. Retrieved June 02, 2022, from https://www.coe.int/en/web/antisemitic-anti-muslim-hatred-hate-crimes/-/save-the-date-expert-seminar-on-anti-muslim-racism-and-discrimination

Council of Europe. (2021). ECRI General Policy Recommendation No. 5 (revised) on preventing and combating anti-Muslim racism and discrimination. ECRI RESEARCH SERIES NUMBER 5. Retrieved June 02, 2022, from https://rm.coe.int/ecri-general-policy-recommendation-no-5-revised-on-preventing-and-comb/1680a5db32

SIR Agenzia d'informazione. (31 May, 2022). Council of Europe: “racism and anti-Muslim discrimination” at the focus of a seminar in the context of the Irish presidency. SIR Agenzia d'informazione. Retrieved June 02, 2022, from https://www.agensir.it/quotidiano/2022/5/31/council-of-europe-racism-and-anti-muslim-discrimination-at-the-focus-of-a-seminar-in-the-context-of-the-irish-presidency/