Kuwait civil society issues ‘declaration on countering hate speech during pandemic’
‘Human rights needed to navigate COVID-19 crisis in dignity’
KUWAIT: Twenty four civil authorities in Kuwait, led by the Kuwaiti Society for Human Rights, announced yesterday launching the ‘Civil Society Declaration on Countering Hate Speech and Incitement to Hatred during the COVID-19 pandemic - Kuwait.’
The authorities agreed that the world faces an unprecedented crisis of global public health emergency as a result of the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). “Guaranteeing human rights for everyone poses a challenge for every country,” they noted, pinpointing that “it is not a time to neglect human rights, rather it is a time when, more than ever, human rights are needed to navigate this crisis in dignity and respect.”
“Since the Kuwaiti Society for Human Rights believes in Kuwait’s role in supporting peace, justice and equality in the world as a whole, and its commitment to a culture of tolerance and non-violence, it suggested articles of the declaration and presented it to some experts and public benefit associations for discussion and consultation,” the society said in a press statement. “All have agreed and expressed their desire and wish to declare their commitments to human rights and speak out against all forms of violence, hate speech and incitement to hatred.”
Khaled Al-Humaidi Al-Ajmi, Chairman of Kuwaiti Society for Human Rights, stated that the issuance of the declaration reflects the sense of responsibility borne by the civil society in Kuwait to face the risk of the spread of hate speech and incitement to hatred during the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating that social media tools are bursting with such speech, further causing more divisions amongst people.
The declaration is formed contains seven articles, which all assured rejection of hate speeches and incitement to hatred, in addition to everyone’ resistance to societal division. The declaration defines hate speech as “any kind of communication in speech, writing or behavior, which attacks or uses pejorative or discriminatory language with reference to a person or a group on the basis of who they are, in other words, based on their religion, ethnicity, nationality, race, color, descent, gender or any other identity factor.” Furthermore, the declaration calls upon the government to protect people against hate speech by implementing a program aimed at promoting the principles of tolerance among members of society, guarantee the promotion of the principle of justice and impartiality in legislation and in the enforcement of laws and judicial and administrative procedures and the opportunity for all without any discrimination, and also take all necessary measures to confront the speech of violence, hatred and societal incitement.