BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 26. Islamophobia is increasingly evident in France’s domestic politics, said Jean-Michel Brun, founder and editor-in-chief of the French news portal Musulmans en France, editor-in-chief of La Gazette du Caucase, at an international conference on "Islamophobia in Focus: Unveiling Bias, Shattering Stigmas" in Baku, Trend reports.
“Today, France holds a prominent position in the Islamophobic space. Some non-governmental organizations consider it one of the most racist countries globally, exerting a harmful influence especially on neighboring states by spreading a kind of ‘contagion’ of Islamophobia. This phenomenon is manifested through the stigmatization of French citizens who practice Islam or are simply perceived as Muslims,” he stated.
Brun also pointed out that Islamophobia casts a long shadow over France’s foreign policy, throwing a wrench in the works of relations with Muslim-majority countries like Tunisia, Algeria, and Azerbaijan.
“This rhetoric spreads and becomes normalized primarily through media and social networks, whose algorithms fuel and amplify an atmosphere of hatred. Politicians, caught in a vicious circle, seek to conform to this ‘public opinion’—which’ they derive from social media,” he added. According to a recent parliamentary report, mainstream media often present Islam through a secular lens that portrays it mainly as a threat," he added.
The expert took the French media to task for painting the liberation of Karabakh as a case of a Muslim country throwing the first punch against Christian territories.
“One of the most insidious forms of racism is denying the very existence of racism. In France, the word ‘islamophobia’ is rejected by most politicians,” he said.
Brun also warned that mentioning Islamophobia can lead to criminal prosecution for “justifying terrorism.”
"There is a false narrative that the term 'Islamophobia’ was invented to silence criticism of religion; it describes systematic hostility towards Islam or Muslims, which has become a serious social problem in France," the official said.
Brun points out that institutional Islamophobia is as plain as day in the glaring absence of Muslims in public discourse. Though Islam often takes center stage in news programs and debates, the genuine voices of Muslims are rarely given a fair shake.
“Television networks tend to invite openly Islamophobic commentators rather than genuine scholars, researchers, or experts who could offer a humane and balanced portrayal of Islam aligned with Arab values. Naturally, this runs counter to the narrative perpetuated by institutionalized Islamophobia,” the editor-in-chief concluded .
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