topics
tools
Expatica countries
Index Last Var.(%)
BEL 20 2270.63 -0.42
DAX 6788.8 0.59
IBEX 30 8902.1 0.60
CAC 40 3424.71 0.43
FTSE 100 5895.47 0.33
AEX 325.12 -0.06
DJIA 12890.46 0.05
Nasdaq 2927.23 0.39
FTSE MIB 16653.83 -0.09
TSX Composite 12497.94 -0.18
ASX 4322.6 -0.79
Hang seng 20762.24 -1.18
Straits Times 2962.44 -0.63
ISEQ 20 503.71 0.33
You are here: Home News Spanish News Spain turning blind eye to racist attacks, says Amnesty

Spanish News

archive
Enlarge font Decrease font Text size


11/04/2008Spain turning blind eye to racist attacks, says Amnesty

The report claims that racist attacks are ignored and the victims are invisible.

11 April 2008

MADRID - Racist attacks against foreigners in Spain are "ignored" and the victims are "invisible," Amnesty International charged on Thursday in a report.

The report claims to highlight the reluctance of the Spanish government and the country's judicial authorities to deal with racism.

According to the human rights group, more than 4,000 racist attacks occur in Spain each year although the vast majority go unreported, while those that result in complaints to the police - between 90 and 120 by the group's estimates - often fail to lead to convictions.

"Spain has no official registry [of racist crimes] so it is impossible to know the scale of the problem," Esteban Beltrán, the director of Amnesty International in Spain, said. "Unfortunately, attacks of this sort are not isolated incidents."

Beltrán noted that up to 15,000 Spaniards belong to racist organisations, while websites preaching racist violence have proliferated in recent years.

Coinciding with a sharp increase in immigration, Spanish attitudes toward foreigners have also hardened, with opinion polls showing that around a third of the native population are hostile toward immigrants, compared to eight percent in 1997.

About 0.7 percent believes racism to be a problem - a figure that in the view of human rights activists reflects a widespread reluctance by citizens and authorities to address the issue.

[El Pais / Expatica]


0 reactions to this article

Be the first person to add a comment

General rating: Not rated yet

Rate article:    Add my rating


0 reactions to this article

Be the first person to add a comment
Discussion Forums

English in Spain

Public (free) primary schools in Barcelona + surrounding areas.

Jobs in Spain

IFAs / FSIs / Country Managers / Confidential Introducers

Community Noticeboard Spain

Barcelona-stay updated!

Housing in Spain

Sitges, Barcelona - 5 Bedroom Villa € 1,150,000 For Sale

Jobs in Spain

“Silicon Valley Comes to Barcelona”, 24th Feb 2012

participate in the forums

Inside Expatica
Editor's Guide: Getting Started in Spain

Editor's Guide: Getting Started in Spain

Expatica's Getting Started section will provide practical information on how you can open a bank account, exchange your driving licence, improve your Spanish, and more.

Groups and Clubs in Madrid

Groups and Clubs in Madrid

Here's a guide to an extensive list of groups and clubs in Madrid for expats, from sports groups to social and family gatherings.

Groups and Clubs around Spain

Groups and Clubs around Spain

A brief introduction to our Tax section for Spain, from help with inheritance tax to accounting advice.

Groups and Clubs in Barcelona

Groups and Clubs in Barcelona

Here's a short introduction to our Banking section for those living in Spain, from what to ask the experts to opening a Spanish bank account.