Combating hate speech in the media in the Republic of Moldova. Guide for assessing and processing hate speech cases

The importance of, and the need for, this guide is justified the increasing number of cases of hate speech and discrimination in the public space and the media in the Republic of Moldova.

The election campaign for the presidential elections of 1/15 November 2020 was marked by intolerant public speeches, and the dynamics of hate speech and incitement to discrimination increased in intensity during the pre-election and election period and decreased after the end of the election campaign.

The relevant Moldovan media legislation, and in particular the Audiovisual Media Services Code (the Code) provides the Audiovisual Council with legal leverage for monitoring and sanctioning cases of hate speech and discrimination recorded in the audiovisual media, including in election campaigns. However, for the effective application of the provisions of the Code, the Audiovisual Council needs an enhanced internal mechanism for monitoring hate speech and collecting disaggregated data.

In this regard, the present guide provides methodological and practical support for the development of the internal mechanism for monitoring hate speech and discrimination, as well as for the development of disaggregated data by the Audiovisual Council.

The aim of this Guide is to assist the Audiovisual Council and the relevant authorities in identifying the cases of hate speech in the media environment and in effectively combating inacceptable forms of expression in the public domain, especially in audiovisual media services.

COMBATING HATE SPEECH IN THE MEDIA IN THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA. Guide for assessing and processing hate speech cases. Council of Europe, 2021.