Racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, discrimination and intolerance, including against Muslims, Christians, Jews and others, is a major challenge to social cohesion and human rights across the OSCE region. These issues shouldbe addressed in the context of human rights and fundamental values which are common to all humanity. It is in this spirit that we consider positively the efforts of the OSCE and ODIHR as being of prime importance for a fairer and more inclusive society.

Freedom of religion or belief is one of the most central and longstanding of OSCE human dimension commitments. This also means that States recognize and respect the right of the individual to profess and practice, alone and in community with others, religion or belief in accordance with the dictates of his own conscience. In most cases, many States in OSCE area do practice equality in relation to freedom of religion but unfortunately, the situation concerning the protection of Muslim communities in Europe is getting bad to worse.

And in spite of the fact that to combat aggressive nationalism, racism, chauvinism, and ethnic-cleansing has been reaffirmed in numerous OSCE documents and States have committed themselves to combat these phenomena both by political and legislative means the aggressive nationalism, racism, chauvinism and hate crimes still manifest in the OSCE area.

Keeping in mind this situation, OSCE participating States at the 2003 Maastricht Ministerial Council Meeting, recognized the importance of legislation to combat hate crimes and made a commitment to consider strengthening legislation relating to hate crimes. All these initiatives are much appreciated by Muslim communities and their representative organizations.

COJEP which is an international NGO network has time and again strongly raised it’s voice against the accelerating religious intolerance, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and now hate crimes committed against Muslim communities.
Since 2001 terror attacks in New York, Muslims –individually and in groups have experienced not only demonization but increased shouting, physical attacks, religiously motivated violence against property and murders.

In the past several months, killings took place in Denmark, Germany and UK of innocent people because they were Muslims.

During Human Dimension Implementation Meeting, COJEP has arranged a Round Table under the title;
Preventing and responding to anti-Muslim Hate Crimes.

This event will take place on Monday, the 5th October 2009 between 13.10 -15.00. at Hotel Sofitel Victoria, Meeting Room 1 WARSAW.

For further details, please contact:

FILIZ Veysel
Tel : +336.89.84.52.27
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