Muslims in Europe face 'rising discrimination over health care'

Number of hate incidents increased 'manyfold' in aftermath of Hamas’s attack against Israel, says Council of Europe

A woman looks at toys at a local market in Aubervilliers near Paris. Reuters

Discrimination against Muslims is rising in Europe, with difficulties accessing healthcare appointments and patients facing accusations that their symptoms are somehow “culturally induced”, the area's top human rights group said on Thursday.

The Council of Europe's antiracism commission (ECRI) annual report said there had been cases of discrimination against Muslim patients, with incidents including difficulties getting as much medical attention “as they would need”.

“By way of example, many Muslims, in particular women, have felt that they were treated disrespectfully and in a discriminatory manner by medical staff who allegedly suggested that their symptoms were somehow culturally induced,” says the report.

The report comes as support of the far-right is rising in Europe, with recent elections to the European Parliament demonstrating a shift in the 27-member bloc, as parties picked up seats in several member states.

In Germany, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party rose to second place with about 16 per cent, ahead of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats and its two ruling coalition partners.

In France, the rise in support was so stark it prompted President Emmanuel Macron to dissolve his national parliament and call a snap election, after results for France showed the far-right took a third of the 31 seats – more than double the score of Mr Macron's supporters, on 15 per cent.

The ECRI report highlighted the harm done by policies such as France’s decision to ban schoolgirls from wearing the abaya, over claims it violated the country’s principle of secularism. Germany’s third-largest state, Baden-Wuerttemberg, has also banned full-face coverings for all schoolchildren.

“Persons wearing visible religious symbols or traditional clothing were at times represented as being associated with terrorism or extremism. It has been particularly the case of Muslim schoolgirls in some countries," the report said.

“It has also appeared that, at times, Muslim pupils did not feel comfortable as they considered that they did not enjoy the same level of encouragement, positive expectations and support from their teachers as children belonging to the majority population.”

The number of hate incidents increased “manyfold” in the aftermath of Hamas’s attack against Israel on October 7, says the report.

“Muslims received blame for the attack and other attacks in the Middle East, based on stereotyping of whole communities and their perceived connections with the use of violence,” it adds.

ECRI expressed “serious concern” in the rise of anti-Muslim hatred and discrimination in Europe and called on Council of Europe member states to “make use” of its policies.

The report also highlighted an increase in anti-Semitism, with the number of incidents across several countries for the past three months “far exceeding” those usually reported for a whole year and in some cases, much higher.

According to ECRI, there were also some anti-Ukrainian hate incidents reported, but overall the public discourse remained of solidarity and support and hostile narratives, including by politicians, were more prevalent against people from other parts of the world.

Ukrainians who fled their homes to escape Russia's invasion also received better treatment than those displaced by other continuing wars and emergencies, says the report.

ECRI said all displaced people, irrespective of their nationality, skin colour or religion, should be offered adequate protection and support.

"The new normal should be to welcome all people from everywhere like Ukrainians (were welcomed)," Johan Friestedt, ECRI's executive secretary, told a news conference.

Asked if there was more solidarity towards Ukrainians because most were white, ECRI's chairman Bertil Cottier said: "When people are more or less like you, it's always easier."