Guidelines for local and regional authorities on preventing radicalisation and manifestations of hate at grassroots level - Resolution 384(2015)

The report discusses the concept of radicalisation and explores the various approaches to tackling the problem such as repression, prevention and reintegration of radicalised individuals, with concrete examples from local and regional levels of government in Council of Europe member States. It engages with urban security and safety issues, recognising that security is part of fundamental rights, and underlines the necessity to balance the measures taken to combat radicalisation against the precepts of human rights, the rule of law and the aim to build inclusive and cohesive societies.

The report recommends that local and regional authorities design strategies to involve civil society in their work against radicalisation and extremism in all its manifestations, including hate speech, anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim sentiment and action. It also recommends that they communicate their strategies to the general public in a balanced and responsible way, with a particular emphasis on a cohesive discourse, exchange of good practice information, and that they support exit programs for individuals willing to leave extremism and allocate the necessary resources to combat radicalisation. Finally, it insists on the necessity to build alliances with credible partners and to aim for co-operation and co-ordination of their actions with the regional and, where appropriate, the national level.