Thread by @elsclegal

🔴BREAKING! We have launched a new report exposing the harmful impacts of the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism (IHRA WDA) -which conflates antisemitism with criticism of Israel- on the freedoms of expression and assembly in the EU & UK. #NOIHRA bit.ly/3OXk7PF 1/11

🔔It presents documented case-based evidence of infringements of individuals’ & groups’ fundamental rights through the IHRA WDA, used widely by the EU and the UK. The report critically assesses a pattern of repression based on 53 incidents summarised in 26 case studies. 2/11

Our case studies unmask the biased arguments of @kschnurbein and many others who ignore and conceal the political context of the IHRA WDA and the repressive realities of its use.

https://twitter.com/kschnurbein/status/1588409475949826051

3/11

1️⃣While the IHRA WDA is said to be "non-legally binding”, official institutions use it as a basis to issue binding decisions. Therewith, the IHRA WDA gets a soft law power with real effects on fundamental rights, as documented in our report. 4/11

2️⃣ The distorted & widely criticised definition is weaponised to shield Israel from accountability, purporting unfounded allegations of antisemitism to chill critical speech, curtail freedoms of expression & assembly, and foster self-censorship & anti-Palestinian racism. 5/11

3️⃣The IHRA WDA is implemented in a discriminatory manner, overwhelmingly targeting Palestinians, Jewish people & organisations that advocate for 🇵🇸 rights, who suffer a range of unjust and harmful consequences, including loss of employment and reputational damage. 6/11

👉 Censorship, defamation, dismissals, and event cancellations based on the IHRA WDA are not isolated incidents but part of a systematic pattern of repression, imposed to silence criticism of the Israeli state for its ongoing human rights violations. mcusercontent.com/1986fb8c63577f… 7/11

4️⃣@kschnurbein and @eucommission have consistently ignored and dismissed growing human rights concerns related to the use of the IHRA WDA and have failed to take measures to prevent its harmful impacts on fundamental rights.  8/11

💭 Last year, the UN Special Rapporteur on racism also sharply criticised the IHRA WDA, calling “upon States Members of the
United Nations to suspend the adoption and promotion of the working definition and the examples attached to it”
documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/… 9/11

⚠️As @UNAOC is finalising the UN action plan to combat antisemitism, the ELSC has signed a joint letter with +100 CSOs including @hrw @amnesty, urging @antonioguterres and High Rep @MiguelMoratinos not to adopt and apply the IHRA definition. hrw.org/news/2023/04/0… 10/11

⚖️We urge @eucommission, governments & parliaments of EU Member States & the UK, to cease and revoke the adoption/endorsement, promotion and implementation of the IHRA WDA. @EUAntiRacism @Irenekhan @MaryLawlorhrds @dreynders @JosepBorrellF @FranceskAlbs #NOIHRA 11/11