In a worrying development, the latest European Commission report on Cyprus points the finger at the media, which is described as homophobic and racist in many cases, particularly in television.

Many of those active in the media don’t know the Journalistic Code of Ethics and don’t hesitate to make fun of and bully gay people in their articles or presentations, according to the latest country report.

Muslims are targeted with racist comment and portrayed negatively, especially in recent years since the war in Syria, said the Commission.

“It appears that intolerant and xenophobic discourse in the media has increased with the economic crisis. As already observed, migrants, particularly Muslim ones, are frequently presented in a negative light and associated with problems such as rising unemployment and criminality, while asylum seekers are portrayed as scroungers on welfare assistance,” says the report.

Sensationalism

Television coverage of events demonstrated the additional problem of sensationalism, stereotyping and xenophobic attitudes, says the Commission.

Homophobic sentiment also seems to be commonly expressed in the media, says the report. A 2009 report by the Danish Institute for Human Rights states that the Cypriot popular press often exploits the subject of non-normative sexualities for sensational reporting.

Some progress

There have been some changes to the law when it comes to hate speech and racism, but the Ombudsman lacks any real powers, such as the ability to testify in court and doesn’t have access to sufficient resources, reports the Commission.

Equally seriously, the police are not motivated to investigate racist crimes, leading people to believe they are acceptable.

“The authorities assured ECRI that police receive special training on hate crime and discrimination, including how to recognise acts committed with a racist motivation. However, according to a recent report, 25 questionnaire respondents stated that even when witnesses and victims report the use of racist words at the time of the crime, the police do not necessarily investigate the potential racist element,” says the Commission.