THE European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), a Council of Europe body, expresses its concern in its annual report, published today, about “hostile” speeches towards refugees by “political officials” and the increase in antisemitic and anti-Muslim actions after October 7.

“We found numerous cases of public discourse using the threat of an alleged Islamization of European societies for purely electoral purposes,” ECRI president Bertil Cottier of Switzerland, who is also an emeritus professor of law at the University of Lausanne, told a press conference.

“The risk is particularly high during election campaign periods. Self-regulation of political officials and the media is essential and they must be held accountable when they cross red lines,” he insisted.

The report’s authors also welcome the “remarkable efforts being made” to welcome “Ukrainian displaced persons”, but regret the “significant differences observed” in the quality of reception offered to refugees and other persons enjoying international protection”.

“Some countries continued to limit the access of non-Europeans to asylum,” the institution underlines, reminding that “all those displaced by war and other emergencies should be quickly offered protection.”

ECRI recalls that after “the terrorist attack by Hamas against Israel on 7 October and the war waged by Israel in Gaza”, European countries were faced with a “vertical rise of anti-Semitism”.

“It is encouraging that since October 7, numerous heads of state and government” and members of civil society “publicly expressed their solidarity with the Jewish communities of Europe”, the institution clarifies.

ECRI is also concerned about the “significant increase” since the same date in incidents “motivated by hatred against Muslims”.

“Individuals wearing visible religious symbols or traditional clothing are sometimes portrayed as being associated with terrorism or extremism,” the report notes. “This is particularly the case with Muslim schoolgirls in some countries.”

The committee also regretted that “Muslim patients” faced “discrimination in accessing health care.”

The Council of Europe is an international organization based in Strasbourg, in which the 46 states that have signed the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights participate. Its various bodies oversee the implementation of these rights on the European continent.