OSCE Chairperson’s Personal Representatives on tolerance in joint country visit to Denmark

COPENHAGEN, 11 September 2014 – The OSCE Chairperson’s Personal Representatives on combatting discrimination and promoting tolerance on 10 to 11 September 2014 made their second joint country visit this year to Denmark. The visit is aimed at identifying problems, best practices as well as gaps in policy, activities and legislation, and areas where the OSCE can provide further support.

The three Personal Representatives met with a number of different representatives of Danish civil society. The visit also includes meetings with the Ombudsman’s office, the Ministry of Justice, the Danish Security and Intelligence Service, the Danish National Police, the Ministry of Children, Gender Equality, Integration and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“During our visit to Denmark, I met grassroot Muslim civil society organizations. They shared their perspectives, experiences and expectations of the Muslim minority community in Denmark. We also met government representatives who kindly addressed our questions and challenges ahead", said Talip Küçükcan, Personal Representative on Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims. He reflected upon this second visit: “In sum, the meetings were very fruitful and provided useful data for further discussion and research.”

“The Danish Jewish community reported as many anti-Semitic incidents in six weeks this summer as in all of 2012, and this was a subject to address in very candid discussions with justice ministry officials,” reported Rabbi Andrew Baker, Personal Representative on Combating Anti-Semitism. “Denmark has maintained a relaxed approach to security in general, which may clash with what Jewish leaders believe is needed in the present climate”, he added.

“Danish official institutions are doing their best to prevent discriminatory acts and hatred. Meanwhile, xenophobia, ethnic profiling and religious intolerance are appearing in Danish everyday life”, noted Alexey Avtonomov, Personal Representative on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination, also Focusing on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians and Members of Other Religions. “We are very pleased with all meetings, as all of them have been conducted in the spirit of transparency, sincerity and mutual understanding”, he concluded.

The Personal Representatives will present a report on this visit to the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, and will therein share recommendations for action and identify areas of possible support by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).