Cyprus / Media Complaints Commission, “Complaint against Sigma TV ‘Noon Plus’ on 22 January 2020” (Παράπονο εναντίον του Sigma TV «Μεσημέρι κ κάτι» στις 22 Ιανουαρίου 2020), Complaint No. 07/27/01/20, 17 Μay 2020.

Country

Cyprus

Title

Cyprus / Media Complaints Commission, “Complaint against Sigma TV ‘Noon Plus’ on 22 January 2020” (Παράπονο εναντίον του Sigma TV «Μεσημέρι κ κάτι» στις 22 Ιανουαρίου 2020), Complaint No. 07/27/01/20, 17 Μay 2020.

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Year

2020

Decision/ruling/judgment date

Sunday, May 17, 2020

Incident(s) concerned/related

Other forms of hate speech

Related Bias motivation

Race/Ethnicity
Race/Ethnicity
Religion

Groups affected

Refugees & asylum seekers

Court/Body type

High regulatory authority

Court/Body

Cyprus Media Complaints Commission

Key facts of the case

The complaint argued that during a televised interview with the Interior Minister, the interviewing journalist expressed the position that the numbers of migrants are such that Cyprus cannot bear them, which is not grounded on facts and is disputed by experts. In addition to being inaccurate, the statement carried the risk of spreading racism and xenophobia. The complaint added that the journalist failed to react when the Interior Minister said on air that migrants and refugees come to Cyprus not through their own will but they are sent by Turkey, giving the impression that this is a fact. In response to the complaint, the newspaper argued that the journalist’s remarks were deemed by the Interior Minister to be correct, that the Interior Minister is the competent officer in charge of all services relating to migration and it is absurd to allege that the Minister’s statements are based on personal convictions, since policy development is based on evidence.

Main reasoning/argumentation

The Commission found that the journalist expressed a view which was purposely fully in line with the position of the Interior Minister which, however this contained elements of prejudice against foreigners. The decision concluded that the journalist had infringed the non-discrimination provision of the Journalistic Code.

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

A statement which is in line with the statement of a government officer may still contain elements of prejudice in violation of the non-discrimination principle. Although freedom of the press is unnegotiable, the contents of statements made by journalists are still subject to review by the Media Complaints Commission.

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

The Media Complaints Commission obliged the newspaper to publish this decision and the newspaper complied. This is the only measure foreseen in the mandate of the Media Complaints Commission.

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

"H Επιτροπή αποφάσισε ότι η εισαγωγή της δημοσιογράφου … αποτέλεσε μια εσκεμμένη κατευθυνόμενη τοποθέτηση επί του θέματος πλήρως ευθυγραμμισμένη με τις απόψεις του Υπουργού Εσωτερικών, η οποία ωστόσο εμπεριέχει στοιχεία προκατάληψης σε βάρος των αλλοδαπών."

"The Commission decided that the introductory remarks made by the journalist… constitute a deliberate directed stance on the issue, fully in line with the views of the Minister of the Interior, which, however, contains elements of prejudice against foreigners."

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