At the panel discussion “With arguments and truth against hate speech”, organized by CIVIL – Center for Freedom, a discussion was led on hate speech and the black campaign before the start of the official elections campaign.

How the media influence the spreading of hate speech, but also the influence of the social media, the impunity and the indolence of the institutions were just part of the topics discussed by Dehran Muratov from CIVIL in the role of a moderator of the discussion, journalist Kristina Ozimec, activist Mersiha Smailovic and communicologist Sefer Tahiri.

“With the elections approaching, there is growing hate speech accompanied with a black campaign”, said Muratov.

Journalist Kristina Ozimec reflected on the social networks and their influence on the public, connected hate speech and the black campaign with false news, which are also increasing.

“As much as the social networks can be useful and open ideas for innovative and new approaches in work, especially when it comes to journalism, they can at the same time be a horrible platform for lynch, slander and threats. They are a palette of unverified information and slander, which create an atmosphere of lynch”, says Ozimec.

She spoke about cyber bullying on the social networks, where she pointed out women journalists as a particularly vulnerable category.

Activist Mersiha Smailovik spoke from the position of a person who in the public revealed hate speech on the social networks, by an employed member of the security forces in the country. Speech that concerns the recent terrorist attack in New Zealand, where 50 Muslims lost their lives during a Friday prayer.

“What happened in New Zealand is hate crime. We have to understand that hate speech never stops only on speech, but rather grows into higher forms, such as hate crime and extremism. We as citizens are tired of constantly hunting what everyone is writing. If we don’t have serious legal regulations and serious institutions that will decisively fight against such incidents, we are not doing anything”, said Smailovik.

She says that she has reported such cases many times, as well as cases related to threats against her and the institutions, but that unfortunately not a single procedure has been initiated so far.

Communicologist Sefer Tahiri spoke about the situation in the media in terms of the spreading of hate speech and the black campaign, as well as about the responsibility of journalists and media workers.

“Preventing or limiting hate speech, that is, control or self-control of the media or actors involved in the media production does not mean opposing freedom of expression, because, as one saying goes, ‘there is no freedom for the enemies of freedom’. Precisely those who are spreading hate speech often call on freedom, and actually they are the ones who are violating precisely freedom of expression”, said Tahiri, indicating several examples from the media everyday life.

M. Ivanovska