Human rights groups subjected to violent and threatening language

The Platform for Human Rights Organisations (PHROM) has reported in its 2015 annual report that several of its member organisations and their staff were often targeted by individuals or groups, the latter adopting vulgar, violent, threatening or insulting language.

“Although, fortunately, no incidents of physical violence were reported, PHROM is extremely concerned at these episodes. Not only do they create an environment of fear and intimidation, but also they further isolate individuals and deprive them of their sense of human dignity. They are unacceptable,” PHROM said.

PHROM is composed of some 30 human rights NGOs.

In response to two questions to its member organisations, the majority confirmed that they and their beneficiaries have been on the receiving end of expressions of hatred.

Several organisations noted that these expressions are often manifested on social media sites such as Facebook, with some respondents querying the extent of the right to free expression when this is vulgar, insulting or even violent.

“There are evident trends in the target groups of such expressions of hatred. The vast

majority of member organisations working with migrants and refugees, as well as those working with the LGBTIQ community confirmed that they are often victims of hate speech or verbal bullying. They also confirmed that their beneficiaries are frequently verbally bullied, harassed, or insulted.

“Together with these two groups, other victims include Member Organisations supporting individuals deemed to be socially unacceptable or threatening and those promoting alternatives to what are generally described as ‘core Maltese values’, such as family and religion. In fact, these latter two descriptors may also be applied to the former two groups in attempting to understand the social dimensions triggering such strong negative emotions, and their expression,” PHROM said.

PHROM urged for a ‘cleaner’ and more transparent public administration in its annual report on human rights in which it expressed serious concern at the lack of good governance across so many areas of the public sector.

PHROM described the adoption of the Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics Act as the most important human rights development in 2015.

 “GIGESC is the result of years of advocacy activities undertaken primarily by the Malta Gay Rights Movement. This advocacy strategy included a thematic research report on transgender issues at the workplace, support to various individuals including through third-party submissions to the European Court of Human Rights, an intense media campaign, and the strategic presentation of a draft law in 2010, eventually becoming the basis for discussions on GIGESC,” PHROM said.

PHROM said the second most important human rights development for 2015 was the rise in importance of environmental issues with the establishment of the Front Ħarsien ODZ in May 2015.

The ‘Front for the Protection of ODZ’ was created as a civil society reaction to a proposed major development at Żonqor Point, situated on land intended to be an Outside Development Zone (ODZ). Within days of its establishment the movement gathered over 30 endorsements from various entities, including organisations not generally associated with environment issues, and organised one of Malta’s largest-ever marches along Republic Street, Valletta.

“From the perspectives of our member organisations, the Front’s creation is so significant because it stresses the non-political approach towards environmental issues and elevates them to a level of truly national interest and concern. Also, the Front succeeded in attracting support of a broad spectrum of individuals and organisations, strengthening an intersectional approach and stressing the horizontal impact of environmental rights.”

Together with the establishment of the Front Ħarsien ODZ, the proposal of two laws by the civil liberties ministry was also ranked the second more important human rights development in 2015.

Proposed as part of the ‘Towards a Robust Human Rights And Equality Framework’ launched in 2014, PHROM said the two laws would have the potential of “radically revising Malta’s human rights institutional and protective frameworks.”

The ‘Equality Bill’ seeks to harmonise Malta’s fragmented and inconsistent antidiscrimination legislation into one instrument, and to strengthen protection by prohibiting discrimination across all spheres all life and on any prohibited ground.

Another draft law is the Human Rights and Equality Commission (HREC) Bill which will establish Malta’s first National Human Rights Institution (NHRI), along the United Nations Paris Principles, as an independent and autonomous body responsible for human rights protection and promotion.

“Although not yet fully adopted as legal instruments, the two Bills promise to offer victims of human rights violations a remedy that is effective and speedy,” PHROM said.