New IHF Report on Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims in the EU

Vienna, Brussels, 13 September 2004. The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF) today released a report entitled Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims in Selected EU Member States. The report is presented to the OSCE Conference on “Tolerance and the Fight against Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination,” which takes place in Brussels on 13-14 September 2004.

The 37-page report draws attention to concerns about anti-Muslim hostility, which have been voiced by Muslim and rights groups. The report covers the following countries: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. 

The report discusses concerns such as widespread negative attitudes toward Muslims, unbalanced and stereotypical media reports, discrimination against Muslims in e.g. employment and housing, verbal and physical attacks on Muslims, aggressive political rhetoric and law enforcement and other measures targeting Muslims. 

“Since September 11, problems of intolerance and discrimination against Muslims have become increasingly acute in several EU member states. As the fight against terrorism has been stepped up, and public debate has increasingly focused attention on Islamic extremism, Muslim minorities have come under growing pressure in these countries and elsewhere,” commented Aaron Rhodes, Executive Director of the IHF.

In most of the countries included in the report, distrustful attitudes toward Muslims have been reinforced in the aftermath of September 11. A rise in the number of attacks on Muslims has also been documented, with the attacks ranging from slurs and insults in the street to vandalism and serious physical violence.

Moreover, in the United Kingdom and Germany, Muslims have been targeted by police searches and arrests in ways that have infringed on the rights of Muslims who have nothing to do with terrorism. In Italy and Denmark, high-profile politicians have openly portrayed Muslims as a security threat, and in France and Belgium, concerns about religious fundamentalism have been used to justify efforts to prohibit Muslim students from wearing the headscarf. In all these cases, moderate and peaceful Muslims have been victimized because of the views and acts of a minority of extremist Muslims who advocate violence and intolerance.

The IHF report, Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims in Selected EU Member States, can be found at the IHF website: http://www.ihf-hr.org. For further information: Aaron Rhodes, IHF Executive Director, + 43 – (0) 676 – 635 66 12.