Applying Vernacularization to Hate Speech Based on Religion or Belief: A Short Exploration

Eugenia Relaño Pastor is Professor of Law in the School of Law, Complutense University, Madrid (Spain), and Cooperation Partner in the Department of Law and Anthropology at the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology, Halle (Germany).

In a world marked by vast cultural diversity, implementing global human rights standards, particularly regarding hate speech, demands nuanced, context-sensitive approaches. In the context of hate speech based on religion or belief, the report by UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) Nazila Ghanea underscores the necessity of fostering global cooperation to address this issue effectively and of adopting comprehensive strategies that integrate legal, educational, and policy measures tailored to specific cultural and social contexts​​.

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Hatred on Religious Grounds and the Risk of Double Standards

Montserrat Gas-Aixendri is a full professor of law and religion at Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (Barcelona, Spain).

In the January 2024 report Hatred on the Basis of Religion or Belief, the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief Nazila Ghanea urges stronger actions to tackle hate speech, encouraging dialogue between different faiths and cultures and safeguarding religious groups while respecting human rights. She emphasizes the importance of governments addressing religious-based hatred in a manner consistent with human rights principles to ensure effectiveness. In this vein, the report’s final recommendations urge the enactment of comprehensive laws against discrimination aimed at preventing and combating hatred motivated by religion or beliefs (para. 62(f)).

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How Does Hate Speech Directed at One Community Affect Another Community?

Jagbir Jhutti-Johal is Professor of Sikh Studies at the School of Philosophy, Theology and Religion, University of Birmingham.

In her January 2024 report, the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Nazila Ghanea, highlighted the significant impact of hate speech on individuals and communities. She emphasized that

[n]otwithstanding the psychological and physiological harms or sense of offence that can result from hate speech, the fundamental threat to the dignity of targeted groups does not solely arise from hateful expressions but also from the social reality that they are drawn from, i.e. the potentially widespread societal identity-based contempt towards the target community. (para. 6)

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