Press release

VIENNA, 20 March 2009 - In a joint statement issued ahead of tomorrow's International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, three leading European human rights bodies today expressed concern that the current economic crisis is beginning to fuel racist and xenophobic intolerance.

The statement was released today by the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the Council of Europe's European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) on the margins of an OSCE meeting on racism and discrimination.

"Our organizations are alarmed by reports indicating an upsurge in violent attacks targeting migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, and minorities such as the Roma," the statement says.

"Europe's history demonstrates how economic depression can tragically lead to increasing social exclusion and persecution. We are concerned that in times of crisis, migrants, minorities and other vulnerable groups become 'scapegoats' for populist politicians and the media."

The three institutions note that such "scapegoating" has already led to increased hostility and incidents of violent hate crime against minorities and migrants in some countries.

They stress that, as the economic crisis deepens, there is a great need for politicians and other public figures to carefully consider their statements to avoid inciting and inflaming ethnic, racial and religious tensions.

"All forms of intolerance must be addressed head-on in an even-handed and balanced manner, guaranteeing protection from human rights violations for everybody in society. All acts of hate crime have a far-reaching impact on victims and their communities and require equal attention and commitment when being addressed," according to the statement.

The statement calls on political leaders to speak out against all forms of violence motivated by racial hatred or xenophobia, and to act responsibly and refrain from providing simplistic explanations with racist, xenophobic or anti-Semitic connotations to complex social, political and economic problems or phenomena.

It also urges governments to provide training to law enforcement personnel and the judiciary, monitor hate crimes in co-operation with civil society, intensify efforts to collect data and statistics, and ensure that victims of discrimination and hate crime have access to effective remedies.