The Real Danger of Hate Speech and Its Impact on Vulnerable Groups

Alberto Jose Ferrari Puerta is a PhD Fellow FPU at the Department of International Law, Ecclesiastical Law and Philosophy of Law, Complutense University of Madrid Law School.

Analyzing the evolution of reports by UN Special Rapporteurs on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) over the last two decades reveals a gradual advance toward greater protection of freedom of expression. This progress is due to, among other factors, broader rejection of the contentious concept of “defamation of religions” and the adoption of the Rabat Plan of Action in 2012.

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Video: 2024 USCIRF Annual Report and Recommendations: Commentary by Nadine Maenza

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom recently released its 2024 Annual Report, which contains recommendations regarding U.S. government efforts to enhance religious freedom globally. Nadine Maenza comments on the report and the global religious freedom trends it reflects.

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Criminalizing Nazi Symbols and Gestures: The Australian Experience

Kerstin Braun is an associate professor at the School of Law and Justice, University of Southern Queensland.

Keiran Hardy is a senior lecturer at the Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith University.

Far-right extremist groups around the world frequently use symbols and gestures associated with the Nazi regime in an attempt to spread hatred and intimidate communities. To curb these activities, some countries, including, for example, Austria and Germany, have long criminalized public displays associated with Nazism. In Germany, symbols including swastikas and SS sig runes are considered symbols of “unconstitutional organizations.” Publicly displaying or selling goods that depict them has been an offence under German criminal law since the 1960s and is punishable by a fine or up to three years in prison. Performing the Nazi salute in public, or making statements such as “Sieg Heil!,” is also illegal.

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