Greece / Greek Council of Radio television/Decision No. 155/2018

Country

Greece

Title

Greece / Greek Council of Radio television/Decision No. 155/2018

View full Case

Year

2018

Decision/ruling/judgment date

Friday, December 21, 2018

Incident(s) concerned/related

Other forms of hate speech
Incitement to violence or hatred

Related Bias motivation

Race/Ethnicity
Race/Ethnicity

Groups affected

Black people or of African origin

Court/Body type

High regulatory authority

Court/Body

Greek Council of Radio television - ESR (Ελληνικό Συμβούλιο Ραδιοτηλεόρασης - ΕΣΡ)

Key facts of the case

The case concerns hate speech during a sports broadcasting. The host referred to a famous basket ball player with the derogatory terms 'negro' and 'ape'. The case was brought before the ESR by the General Secretariat of Human Rights (Ministry of Justice) and three citizens. The respondent broadcasting company was considered liable for the host's behaviour and forced to pay administrative fines and shut down their channel for 24 hours.

Main reasoning/argumentation

The ESR acknowledged that the broadcasting company on 9-11-2018: a) violated its legal obligation to broadcast quality programmes, b) offended the person's value and personality, and c) allowed derogatory comments and the use expressive means which are capable of promoting discrimination on the basis of race.

Is the case related to the application of the Framework Decision on Racism and Xenophobia, the Racial Equality Directive?

Key issues (concepts, interpretations) clarified by the case

The ESR decision is important as it is the first time the Authority has issued a decision punishing a broadcasting service for broadcasting hate speech. The decision refers to the obligation of broadcasting services to refraim from showing content which can incite hatred against groups based on their ethnic origin, religion or religious beliefs, sexual orientation, disability or race.

Results (sanctions, outcome) and key consequences or implications of the case

Two fines of 15.000 Euros each were imposed to the broadcasting company. Moreover, the company was ordered to shut down its channel for 24 hours and display a notification referring to the ESR decision.

Key quotation in original language and its unofficial translation into English with reference details

"Κατά αντικειμενική ωστόσο κρίση, η παρομοίωση του συγκεκριμένου αθλητή με «πίθηκο» ήταν από τη φύση της ικανή να ερμηνευθεί ως έχουσα ρατσιστικό χαρακτήρα καθώς ένα σημαντικό τμήμα του τηλεοπτικού κοινού ευλόγως θα υπέθετε ότι υπονοεί την εθνολογική καταγωγή και το χρώμα του αναφερόμενου καλαθοσφαιριστή. Αυτό ισχύει πολύ περισσότερο στην υπό κρίση περίπτωση, ενόψει του ρητού τρόπου με τον οποίον καταφέρθηκε ο παρουσιαστής της εκπομπής κατά του εμπλεκόμενου αθλητή: «Με έναν πίθηκο, εκείνος ο [...] πίθηκος είναι!». Τούτο δε ανεξαρτήτως του γεγονότος ότι η παρομοίωση ενός οποιουδήποτε ανθρώπου με πίθηκο προσβάλλει σε κάθε περίπτωση την τιμή και την αξιοπρέπεια του ατόμου."

"Objectively, however, the likeness of this athlete to a "monkey" was by its nature capable of being interpreted as having a racist character as a significant part of the television audience would reasonably assume that it implied the ethnicity and colour of the basketball player mentioned. This is all the more so in the present case in view of the explicit way in which the presenter of the show managed the athlete involved: "With a monkey, that [...} Monkey is!" This is notwithstanding the fact that the likeness of any human being to a monkey infringes in every case the honour and dignity of the individual."

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