OSCE/ODIHR Director Link calls on leaders to strongly condemn hate crimes in light of increased reports of hate incidents following US elections

WARSAW, 21 November 2016 – Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), expressed today his strong concern over increased reports of hate incidents following the 8 November election in the United States of America.

“Hate crimes are message crimes, aimed at telling victims ‘your kind are not wanted here.’ Left unchecked, they undermine social cohesion, threatening the security of a country. The authorities in any country are responsible for ensuring security for every person, and for the country as a whole," the ODIHR Director said. “It is crucial that all political leaders deliver the clear message that there is no place for hate crimes in the United States. They have a responsibility to counter racist and xenophobic discourse with messages of tolerance and inclusion.”

The statement follows reports of post-election hate incidents from civil society organizations and in the media. On Friday, United States Attorney General Loretta Lynch called for victims of such incidents to report them to law enforcement agencies and the Justice Department, which is assessing whether they constituted violations of federal law.

“The swift identification and prosecution of the perpetrators of hate crimes is essential,” Director Link said, commending the Attorney General’s announcement that the FBI is investigating these incidents.

ODIHR and the OSCE Parliamentary assembly noted in their preliminary assessment of the 8 November elections that the campaign was characterized by intolerant rhetoric about women, minorities, immigrants and people with disabilities.