At least 1,000 hate speech comments are posted daily in Greek-language internet content, including from Cyprus, promoting racism, sexism, homophobia and sometimes inciting criminal activity, according to research presented to the House Human Rights Committee.
The committee examined online hate speech issues and the responsibility of state and private bodies following a motion by MPs George Koukoumas and Alexandra Attalides.
Types of hate speech
Dr Venetia Papa, assistant professor of Journalism and Digital Media at the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT), revealed that recent studies have identified cyber-lawlessness and new forms of delinquency. According to their 2024 research, hate speech has become normalised, with neo-Nazi content accounting for 48% of posts, Holocaust denial 21%, anti-LGBTQ content 11%, and anti-refugee sentiment 10%.
“Hate speech has been increasing since 2020 and appears in everyday situations”, Papa said, citing attacks against food delivery workers as an example. She noted that news coverage, such as reports about femicide, can trigger hate speech, and called for the establishment of a hate speech observatory.
Challenges in prosecution
Dr Aristotelis Constantinides, associate professor of International Law and Human Rights at the University of Cyprus, highlighted the challenges in prosecuting hate speech cases, noting the absence of a universal definition. He explained that criminalisation covers speech targeting groups based on race, colour, language, religion, nationality, and origin, though Cypriot law excludes certain protected characteristics such as age, disability, and gender.
The Commissioner for Administration’s office reported that despite 15 years of monitoring hate speech across various sectors, progress remains slow. “We are very far behind. The political landscape changes, Trump gets appointed, the EU composition changes. How is it possible we still haven’t defined hate speech or created a monitoring body?” a representative said.
Law enforcement officials stated that whilst the Police Chief has issued clear directives to investigate complaints and act independently when incidents are detected, the force lacks sufficient personnel to monitor online content continuously.
The Cyprus Union of Journalists has requested clear separation between journalistic content and associated comments.
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