Round-table

Lessons learnt: Monitoring hate speech

in the media environment in the electoral campaign

05 December 2023

Hybrid event

Venue: Radisson Blu Leogrand Hotel
Nr. 77, Mitropolit Varlaam str, Chisinau – Moldova

Online connection link: tbc

Working languages: Romanian and English

Background information

Hate speech is a deep-rooted, complex and multidimensional phenomenon that can negatively affect individuals, groups and societies in a variety of ways and with different degrees of severity, including by instilling fear in and causing humiliation to those it targets and by having a chilling effect on participation in public debate, which is detrimental to democracy. The individuals and groups can be targeted by hate speech on different grounds, or combinations of grounds, and acknowledging that those persons and groups need special protection, without detriment to the rights of other persons or groups.

The effective exercise of fundamental freedoms and prevention of human rights violations should be secured for all members of the society and discrimination and hatred should be adequately addressed, in order to ensure a safe and enabling environment for public debate and communication. These are important aspects to be addressed in particular during electoral periods in the Republic of Moldova, for ensuring a comprehensive approach to combating hate speech and discrimination.

In this context, the Council of Europe is organising a round-table with the aim to provide a common platform for discussion on lessons learned on monitoring of hate speech in the media during the electoral campaign for local elections in the Republic of Moldova, held in November 2023. This event will also enable exchange of experiences and opinions between all relevant authorities and actors, in the Republic of Moldova and from abroad - for improving the practices in preventing and combating hate speech in the media environment in future.

This event is organised in cooperation with the Audiovisual Council, in the framework of the project Combating discrimination, hate speech and hate crimes in the Republic of Moldova part of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme Partnership for Good Governance“, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe.

Draft AGENDA
Tuesday, 05 December 2023
09:30 – 10:00	Registration of participants and welcome coffee
10:00 – 10:30 Time: GMT+2	Opening of the event and introductory remarks · Thorsten AFFLERBACH, Head of the Inclusion and Anti-Discrimination Programmes Division, Anti-Discrimination Department, Council of Europe · Falk LANGE, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Chisinau · Liliana VIȚU, Chair of the Audiovisual Council of the Republic of Moldova · Eduard PESENDORFER, Programme Manager, European Union Delegation to the Republic of Moldova Moderator: Mirela CHIRIAC, Project Officer, Council of Europe
10:30 – 11:15	Monitoring hate speech during the electoral period – main findings, tools, challenges · Irina COROBCENCO, Council of Europe consultant Particularities in the application of methodology for assessing and processing hate speech in the media during the electoral campaign – experience and practice of the Audiovisual Council of the Republic of Moldova · Grigore CHIȚANU, Head of the Legal Service, Audiovisual Council of the Republic of Moldova
11:15 – 11:45	Coffee break
11:45 – 13:15	Practices and challenges of regulatory authorities in assessing and processing hate speech in electronic media in line with European standards (online presentations) · Jan HURTIK, Analytical Department, Council for Media Services, Slovak Republic · Representative of AGCOM, Italy (tbc) · Representative of the National Audiovisual Council of Romania (tbc) Exchange of views and experiences
13:15 – 14:30	Lunch at Radisson restaurant
14:30 – 15:30	Challenges related to the increasing number of hate speech and discrimination cases in the public space and the media, in particular in the electoral campaigns Contributions by: · Ian FELDMAN, President of the Equality Council (tbc) · Gheorghina DRUMEA, Secretary General of the Coalition for Inclusion and Non-Discrimination · Alina ANDRONACHE, Centre for Partnership and Development Exchange of views and experiences Moderator: Irina COROBCENCO, Council of Europe Consultant
15:30 – 16:00	Lessons learned and further steps: Discussion on improving the practices in monitoring hate speech in the Republic of Moldova. Final conclusions and closing of the round-table Contribution by: · Audiovisual Council of the Republic of Moldova
16:00	End of the round-table / Farewell coffee and networking