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The ‘Elections Without Hate’ conference in Sarajevo this week. Photo: BIRN.
Ahead of local elections in October in Bosnia and Herzegovina, members of the public are using a new online platform, stopgovormrznje.com (Stop Hate Speech), to report hate speech they have noticed on websites, other media, social networks and at public gatherings, anonymously and online.
Vernes Voloder, from the Nansen Dialogue Centre in Mostar, said too many politicians use aggressive language to score political points, often unaware of the consequences such rhetoric can have.
“That’s why we developed a tool through an online platform that provides key information on what constitutes hate speech, what inflammatory rhetoric is, how to recognise it in our society, and how we as ordinary citizens can help curb this,” Voloder said at the Elections Without Hate conference, where the platform was presented on Wednesday.
Voloder said that the platform had already received 250 reports of hate speech and inflammatory rhetoric since it was first activated in April, 70 per cent of them concerning statements made in the media, 20 per cent statements at public gatherings, and only 10 per cent posts on social media.
“We are conducting a review of those 250 reports. Our legal team will go through these reports and forward them to relevant institutions – the Central Election Commission and relevant entity-level and state institutions,” he said.
Vanja Bjelica-Prutina, a member of the Central Election Commission, CEC, emphasized the importance of citizens knowing where they can report hate speech, especially with the upcoming election campaign.
“There is no place for hate speech or hate language in general,” said Bjelica-Prutina, who reminded the panel that hate speech is punishable by fines ranging from 3,000 to 30,000 marks (from 1,500 to 15,000 euros), as well as removal from the electoral list or revocation of their mandate.
She added that the CEC is cautious in imposing sanctions, as such decisions can be overturned by the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the country’s top court.
The British ambassador to Sarajevo, Julian Reilly, emphasised that politicians bear the greatest responsibility in the fight against hate speech and divisive narratives.
“The existence of stable democratic processes is crucial for reducing hate speech and encouraging more civilized and constructive dialogue. This is the focus of our project with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, and we hope to help reduce the level of hate speech used in election campaigns,” Reilly said.
He noted that the campaign for the local elections begins on September 6, and that the outcome of these elections will have a direct impact on people’s lives.
“I urge all political actors to conduct their campaigns with dignity and not to use division or hatred for political gain. Candidates should focus on solutions and how to improve the lives of citizens,” Reilly said.
