BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 15. There has been a legalization of racism in the past 10 years in France, a historian, author of the 'Dictionary of Islamophobia', Kamil Meziti said, Trend reports.
He made the remark at the panel session of the international conference themed “Islamophobia as a Specific Form of Racism and Discrimination: New Global and Transnational Challenges”.
"In France, Muslims are not in a very good environment. We saw this in the last presidential election; the presidential candidate insulted Muslims and was not punished for that. Politicians use this to build their political careers. However, Muslims have the same rights as everyone else. If someone commits a crime, do we say that he is a Catholic, or a Christian terrorist? No. We just say he's a terrorist. Why does not this apply to Muslims then?" he said.
On March 15-16, the Baku International Multiculturalism Center (BIMC), the Center of Analysis of International Relations (AIR Center) and the G20 Interfaith Forum are organizing an international conference dedicated to the International Day to Combat Islamophobia themed “Islamophobia as a Specific Form of Racism and Discrimination: New Global and Transnational Challenges”.
The main purpose of the conference is to provide for an academic discussion platform on the alarming trends targeting Muslims and Muslim-populated countries at international and national levels.
The conference, bringing together scientists, experts of international organizations, religious figures and representatives of non-governmental organizations from 32 countries, is featuring discussions on different approaches in the fight against Islamophobia, a manifestation of Islamophobia in some European countries, and Islamophobia in the international media.
15 March was designated as the “International Day to Combat Islamophobia” at the session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM), held in Niamey, Niger, on November 27-28, 2020. In 2022, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring March 15 as “International Day to Combat Islamophobia”.