"Hate speech" discussed in Yekaterinburg

On October 21, 2006, a seminar "Hate Speech and Gypsies/Roma" was held in Yekaterinburg, which ended with a "round table" with the participation of activists from Roma public organizations and media representatives from the Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk, Tyumen and Kurgan regions.

The seminar was organized by the European Roma Rights Center (ERRC) in cooperation with the local NGO "Roma Ural" and funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2006 similar events were held in St. Petersburg, Rostov and Samara.

The seminar discussed the experience of the countries of Eastern and Central Europe in media coverage of stories about the Roma, interactive classes were held on the recognition of hate speech. The meeting participants stressed the unjustified mention of nationality in criminal reports. It was also noted that the leaders of the Roma communities should contact the mass media more often in order to contribute to the elimination of biased newspaper publications and television programs about the Roma in Russia.

According to the European Center for Roma Rights.