New OSCE/ODIHR publication aimed at assisting governments in addressing security needs of Jewish communities

BERLIN, 15 May 2017 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today released a new publication aimed at assisting governments in addressing the security needs of Jewish communities, at a launch event in the German Parliamentary Society.

Recent years have seen deadly anti-Semitic attacks in in Toulouse, Brussels, Paris, Copenhagen and elsewhere, as well as frequent non-lethal assaults, underscoring the urgent need for greater efforts to address anti-Semitism. Participants in the launch event stressed the importance of the publication at a time when the threat level for some Jewish communities in the OSCE region is high and immediate.

“Anti-Semitic incidents across the OSCE region in recent years have not only had a profoundly negative impact on the daily lives of Jewish individuals and communities and on their enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms, but have also created a widespread sense of fear and insecurity among them,” Michael Georg Link, ODIHR Director, said at the event. “This publication, in light of the urgent need for greater efforts to confront anti-Semitism, provides governments with effective measures and practices that can be implemented, in co-operation with Jewish communities, to better address their security needs, and thus remove this sense of fear and insecurity.”

The publication, “Understanding Anti-Semitic Hate Crimes and Addressing the Security Needs of Jewish Communities”, was produced within the framework of ODIHR’s “Words into Action to Address Anti-Semitism” project, in consultation with experts from throughout the OSCE region, to reflect good practices in addressing the security needs of Jewish communities. It recommends practical steps for governments to take in co-operation and partnership with these communities to address their security needs.

“In 2013, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights found that almost two-thirds of the victims of physical violence motivated by anti-Semitism did not report the incident. This shows that we cannot solely rely on statistics to assess the scope of anti-Semitic threats in Europe,” said Petra Pau, Vice-President of the German Bundestag and a member of the Steering Committee of the Inter-parliamentary Coalition for Combatting Antisemitism. “We have to take seriously the concerns of those experiencing these threats on a daily basis and provide them, and society as a whole, with measures to keep them safe, because, as Michael Link has pointed out, anti-Semitism is a threat to everybody’s human rights.”

Participants at the launch highlighted that, within the framework of the OSCE’s comprehensive approach to security, participating States have an obligation to prevent and respond to all manifestations of intolerance, including anti-Semitism. 

“OSCE participating States have committed themselves to fostering a safe environment free from anti-Semitic harassment, violence and discrimination. It is, therefore, of paramount importance that governments turn these commitments into practical action,” said Doris Barnett, Bundestag Member and Chair of the German Delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. “The recommendations and good practice examples contained in this practical guide can help states confront the specific challenges posed by anti-Semitism through an approach firmly anchored in the framework of international human rights standards and OSCE commitments. The guide can also be used as a model for addressing the security needs and experiences of other com¬munities vulnerable to hate crimes.”

Gernot Erler, Bundestag Member and Special Representative of the German Federal Government for the OSCE Chairmanship in 2016, said: “Jewish communities are confronted with anti-Semitism, including hate crimes, on a daily basis. It is the primary responsibility of national governments to protect Jewish communities and their individuals. A starting point is the understanding of what anti-Semitism and hate crimes consist of and what they do to their victims. It is our sincere hope that today’s launch event will mark a starting point among OSCE participating States for an open and thoughtful assessment of these security issues and a con¬sideration of policies and measures to effectively address them.”

ODIHR has developed the “Words into Action to Address Anti-Semitism” project, generously funded by the German Federal Government, to strengthen the capacity of governments and civil society in OSCE participating States to prevent and respond to anti-Semitism. The multi-year project, launched in 2016, focuses on three broad areas: addressing the security needs of Jewish communities, countering anti-Semitism through education, and fostering coalition building among communities.

For further information, please contact Thomas Rymer, ODIHR Spokesperson, at: +48 609 522 266 or thomas.rymer@odihr.pl.

or

Julian Jakob (local contact and for enquiries in German), Special Adviser to the ODIHR Director, at +48 695 808 816 or julian.jakob@odihr.pl