Radio, video and television
In a YouTube video, a man attacks a female politician who is terminally ill, a radio host laughs at people with disabilities, in a television programme, a party chairman compares homosexuality to bestiality, a man mails a DVD containing a denial of the Holocaust to the Kazerne Dossin (the Mechelen transit camp), …
In Belgium, there is freedom of speech, and this includes radio, video and television. Everyone therefore has the right to express their opinions, ideas and sentiments. But this freedom is not unlimited.
For example, negationism (Holocaust denial) is prohibited, as is publicly inciting discrimination, hatred or violence against others intentionally and for a specific reason. And distributing ideas about racial superiority or racial hatred is also a punishable offence. Read more.
How are these expressions of hate speech handled?
Unlike (written) press offences, expressions of hate speech on video, radio or television are always handled by a criminal court. Read more.
How should you report hate speech on radio, video or television?
Unia will assist and advise you. You can also, for example, contact the editorial board, the Journalism Council, the Flemish media regulator (Vlaamse regulator voor de media) or the Audiovisual Council (Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel), the Data Protection Authority, or the Jury for Ethical Practices in Advertising. Read more.