Human rights experts warn against COVID-19-related prejudice

In light of the outbreak of COVID-19, countries should curb the alarming rise in racist and xenophobic incidents and hate speech directed at groups based solely on their race, ethnicity or national origin since such incidents threaten the solidarity needed to fight the pandemic, international human rights experts said in an online seminar Friday.

More than a dozen human rights experts from around the world shared their views at the seminar titled "Addressing Contemporary Forms of Racism: Challenges Posed by the Pandemic and the National Responses".

The seminar was hosted by the Human Rights Center of Central South University, the Wuhan University Institute of International Law and the Cross Cultural Human Rights Centre of Vrije University Amsterdam.

"People who are perceived or known to be of Chinese or other East Asian descent have been subject to racist and xenophobic attacks related to the virus. Reports received indicate that racially-motivated violence and other incidents against people of Asian-descent have reached an alarming level in some countries," said E. Tendayi Achiume, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, in a statement.

Due to time zone differences, her statement was delivered by Kellie-Shandra Ognimba, an officer with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

For instance, she said, Asian-Americans including those of Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Filipino, and Burmese descent have been subject to racist and xenophobic attacks since the outbreak of COVID-19. These attacks have ranged from physical assaults, vandalism and verbal harassment to denial of access to services and public spaces. Women have reported being harassed more than twice as often than men.

The situation is partly caused by irresponsible and discriminatory remarks by some public figures, according to Achiume. "It's dismaying to witness state officials adopting alternative names for the COVID-19 instead of using the internationally recognized name of the virus. These officials have adopted names with geographic references, typically referring to its emergence in China. This sort of calculated use of a geographic-based name for this virus is rooted in and fosters racism and xenophobia," she said. "It serves to isolate and stigmatize individuals who are, or are perceived to be of Chinese or other East Asian descent."

Governments must ensure that their response to the pandemic does not contribute to xenophobia and racial discrimination and must eradicate xenophobia throughout all state policy and messaging, Achiume said.

During the pandemic, COVID-19-related racist hate speech has been rampant in various countries. As an aspect of racial discrimination and a type of hate speech, such speech has multiple manifestations and target groups, which not only affects many racial groups, but also may threaten international solidarity to respond to the health crisis, said Sun Shiyan, a researcher with the Institute of International Law under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

"Countries have an obligation to counter the COVID-19-related racist hatred. Naming the virus with geographic references may not constitute as hate speech itself, but it will trigger hate speech," Sun said.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, some discriminatory remarks against the Chinese have emerged in the international community.

People should see that calling the novel coronavirus "Chinese virus" or "Wuhan virus" is a form of discrimination under the banner of freedom of speech, said Mao Junxiang, executive director of Central South University's Human Rights Center.

"The international community should unite to fight 'virus discrimination'. Also, politicians and the media should have a high sense of social responsibility in the context of COVID-19 and refrain from spreading racism, xenophobic and other statements that are detrimental to international cooperation in fighting against the pandemic," Mao said.