On the occasion of the International Day on Combating Hate Speech, the Council of Europe organized a three-day training for trainers in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova. The program was specifically designed for police officers from the General Police Inspectorate and the Police Academy “Ștefan cel Mare.”
Hate speech and incitement to discrimination continue to be persistent issues in the Republic of Moldova, particularly during electoral campaigns. Only a small number of cases are documented and sanctioned, against a widespread occurrence of hate speech incidents. The impact of unsanctioned hate speech is detrimental to societal cohesion and over the most vulnerable groups. Over time, it can transform into harmful rhetoric, blurring the boundaries of freedom of expression.
To address this challenge, the Council of Europe brought together professors/trainers from the Police Academy and practitioners from various police inspectorates. Their collaboration aimed to foster a uniform understanding and effective application of the legal framework related to hate speech.
During the training, 14 participants learned how to utilize the Rabat monitoring mechanism when analysing hate speech. This comprehensive approach considers several factors such as social and political context, content and form of the harmful message and likelihood of provoking harm, including immediate threats.
Participants also delved into study cases from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) related to hate speech. These real-world examples provided practical insights and highlighted the importance of consistent enforcement.
In the context of upcoming presidential election in October, police officers who completed the training will play an important role as trainers to their peers from different Police Inspectorates. By equipping law enforcement with the necessary tools and knowledge, the Republic of Moldova aims to create a safer and more inclusive environment for all its citizens.
The activity was organised in the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for the Republic of Moldova for 2021-2024 and the projects: ”Enhancing diversity and equality in the Republic of Moldova” funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; ,,Promoting non-discrimination in the Republic of Moldova’’ and the EU/Council of Europe project “Combating discrimination, hate speech and hate crimes in the Republic of Moldova”, part of the European Union and Council of Europe joint programme “Partnership for Good Governance”, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe.
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