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Incitement to Violence/Hate Speech Against Elderly and People with Disabilities is Criminalized

Published March 19, 2026, 20:12
Incitement to Violence/Hate Speech Against Elderly and People with Disabilities is Criminalized

The Cypriot Parliament unanimously approved an amendment to the law on combating racism and xenophobia to include incitement to violence or hate speech against individuals due to age or disability. The amendment was proposed by MPs Alexandra Attalidou and Giorgos Koukoumas. The explanatory report states that hate speech against these groups is not currently criminalized, which is inconsistent with European and international human rights declarations. The proponents emphasized the increasing trend of racist attacks and the need to cultivate a culture against racism, while stressing that freedom of expression does not cover the targeting of vulnerable groups.