Hate speech in Montenegro is becoming an everyday occurrence, especially in the online space, and institutional reactions are insufficient and inconsistent, warned the Center for Civic Education (CCE), on the occasion of June 18 - the International Day against Hate Speech.
CCE program associate Maja Marinović said that the problem of hate speech escalates during social crises or expressed disagreements.
She stated that this was the case in events such as the tragedy in Cetinje, when portals and social networks were flooded with inappropriate and dehumanizing comments, or in cases of women who publicly express views different from the dominant narrative, facing waves of misogyny and hate speech.
"It is often a small step from unsanctioned content on the networks to actual discriminatory attacks," Marinović added in a statement.
She stated that CCE, through publications such as "Digital Activism Against Hate Speech", a manual aimed at combating e-homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and violence in the digital space, and "On the Other Side of the Keyboard", which sheds light on hate speech from the perspective of citizens, rights and specific cases, seeks to raise awareness and empower individuals and organizations in dealing with this phenomenon.
Marinović said she is also concerned that hate speech is increasingly coming from elected government representatives.
"Statements with elements of open discrimination, homophobia and misogyny, such as the one made recently in the Capital City Assembly by Mitar Šušić, are not only contrary to the basic values of human rights, but also on the margins of legality and call for unequivocal condemnation of all political actors," said Marinović.
She recalled that the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, during his visit to Montenegro, said that open and inclusive dialogue is key, everywhere in the world, and especially in a country like Montenegro, with its rich ethnic, religious and linguistic diversity.
“That’s why I’m concerned about the hate speech and divisive narratives being spread – on television, online, at sporting events, and even in schools,” Turk said, noting that some politicians resort to divisive rhetoric and sometimes outright hate speech for political reasons.
The statement states that CCE research shows that over 60 percent of Montenegrin citizens see political parties and their bot networks as the main sources of hate speech on the internet.
"A third of respondents do not report such speech due to distrust in institutions, and more than a quarter do not believe in the effectiveness of self-regulation of the media and social networks," the statement said.
Marinović said that, although laws provide for the sanctioning of hate speech, their application is rare, inefficient and inconsistent.
She said that this indicates a low level of digital and media literacy and the need for educational campaigns, legislative changes and strengthening institutional capacities for better protection against digital threats, which will be the focus of the new CCE project "Protection of Rights and Promotion of Digital Citizenship - Montenegrin Digital Shield (MDS)".
"The fight against hate speech is not only a legal issue, but also a broader social and political issue," Marinović stated.
CCE called on institutions, as well as public officials from various spheres, to promote responsible and dignified communication by their example, as they have a key role in shaping public discourse.
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