ECRI general policy recommendation no. 9 on the fight against anti-Semitism

adopted on 25 June 2004

European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI)

Recommends that the governments of the member States:

- enact legislation aimed at combating antisemitism taking into account ECRI’s suggestions in its General Policy Recommendation No 7 on national legislation to combat racism and racial discrimination;

- ensure that the law provides that, for all criminal offences, racist motivation constitutes an aggravating circumstance, and that such motivation covers antisemitic motivation;

- take the appropriate measures to ensure that legislation aimed at preventing and sanctioning antisemitism is effectively implemented;

- offer targeted training to persons involved at all levels of the criminal justice system – police, prosecutors, judges – with a view to increasing knowledge about antisemitic crimes and how such acts can be effectively prosecuted;

- take steps to encourage victims of antisemitic acts to come forward with complaints of antisemitic acts, and put in place an effective system of data collection to thoroughly monitor the follow-up given to such complaints;

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