Viking11
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U.N. rapporteur urges Japan to consider law banning hate speech | The Japan Times
Japan should enact a law banning hate speech to protect the nation’s ethnic minorities, according to a United Nations expert who said such a change would not impact freedom of speech.
“The international law makes it quite clear that in certain circumstances (hate speech) must be prohibited,” Rita Izsak, a U.N. special rapporteur on minority issues, said at a symposium held in Tokyo late last month.
Izsak claimed restricting hate speech with penal sanctions can be justified as long as it is legitimate and such curbs are necessary and proportionate to protect the self-esteem of targeted groups.
“If hate incidents are not tackled quickly and effectively, targeted groups may experience permanent damage to their self-esteem and sense of belonging within their societies,” she warned. “If you look at genocide . . . the first stop in this line is always hate speech.”
Japan should enact a law banning hate speech to protect the nation’s ethnic minorities, according to a United Nations expert who said such a change would not impact freedom of speech.
“The international law makes it quite clear that in certain circumstances (hate speech) must be prohibited,” Rita Izsak, a U.N. special rapporteur on minority issues, said at a symposium held in Tokyo late last month.
Izsak claimed restricting hate speech with penal sanctions can be justified as long as it is legitimate and such curbs are necessary and proportionate to protect the self-esteem of targeted groups.
“If hate incidents are not tackled quickly and effectively, targeted groups may experience permanent damage to their self-esteem and sense of belonging within their societies,” she warned. “If you look at genocide . . . the first stop in this line is always hate speech.”