AhlulBayt News Agency - The Tolerance and Pluralism Unit in Al Wefaq National Islamic Society emphasized on the importance of spreading and applying the principles of tolerance and anti-hate in a national project that is adopted by all. The Unit warned that the spread of hate rhetoric that includes incitement to discrimination, hostility and violence, would have consequences on the security and stability of the country and region.
The Unit stems from the Anti-Hatred Declaration released by Al Wefaq and the democratic national societies on Jan. 9th 2014.
The Tolerance and Pluralism Unit said that in 2015 it documented over 3000 media material, including press columns and posts on social media by famous personalities with large-audiences.
“This rhetoric has continued over the past five years”, it said, “a report submitted to the UN Human Rights Council by three of its Special Rapporteurs in March 2016 outlined sectarian incitement, as was documented by the BICI and a delegation of the OHCHR back in 2011”. The Unit said incitement is usually heightened in certain regional occasions and circumstances, thereby, affecting coexistence and undermining mutual confidence. In some occasions, it said, incitement fueled severe hostility and encouraged discrimination and sometimes violence on the ground.
“This dangerous behavior violates Article 20/2 of the Convention on Civil and Political Rights which Bahrain is signatory to by law no.56 of 2006 which states that the law prohibits calls for hate on nationalistic, racist or religious grounds which represent an incitement to discrimination or hostility or violence
“Amid the world awakening to the dangers of incitement of hatred and despite the continued calls to isolate Bahrain from the heated sectarian situation in the region, incitement has been growing noticeably. While accountability is absent.
“Employing hate rhetoric for political purposes as a tool to block solution and national agreement is not a wise attitude. This will lay its impact on civil peace and national unity and rip our nation, to serve political agenda”.
The Tolerance and Pluralism Unit said it is to continue documenting incitement of hatred based on the outlines of the Rabat plan which adopted the “Camden Principles of 2008” in accordance with Articles 18,19 and 20 of the Convention on Civil and Political Rights and adopted by Bahrain as a base of criminalization in Article 69 of the Penal Code.
On the other hand, the Unit called on the Bahraini Authorities to end the exploitation of anti-hatred laws to suppress criticism. It also called to lay a framework for media outlets to foster the right to disagreement and criminalize incitement of hatred and contempt.
Al Wefaq’s Tolerance Unit emphasized on mutual respect and management of disagreement far from sectarianism and hatred. In this way, it said, Bahrainis can maintain a vital society and walk in the direction of stability and sustainable development.
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source : al-Wefaq
Wednesday
30 March 2016
8:01:04 AM
744018
The Tolerance and Pluralism Unit said that in 2015 it documented over 3000 media material, including press columns and posts on social media by famous personalities with large-audiences.