The International Federation for Rights and Development – IFRD strongly condemns the Islamophobic statements made by Matthew Karnitschnig, Editor-in-Chief of Euractiv, in his recent article. His claim that “much of this ignorance [about the Holocaust] resides in Muslim migrant communities, where hatred of Jews is as much a staple of daily life as baklava” is highly offensive and reinforces dangerous and false stereotypes about Muslim communities in Europe.
Such rhetoric is not merely irresponsible journalism—it actively fuels anti-Muslim sentiment and deepens societal divisions at a time when Europe should be fostering unity and mutual understanding. As an organization committed to human rights, equality, and combating all forms of discrimination, we at IFRD firmly stand against the normalization of Islamophobia in European media.
We emphasize that the fight against antisemitism and Islamophobia must go hand in hand. Weaponizing one form of discrimination to justify or amplify another is unacceptable and contradicts the shared goal of combating racism and bigotry in all its forms.
IFRD calls on Euractiv to take accountability for this editorial failure by issuing an official apology and committing to stronger editorial oversight to prevent the spread of such inflammatory narratives in the future. We also urge European institutions and civil society organizations to remain vigilant against media discourse that seeks to divide rather than unite.
At a time when marginalized communities face increasing hostility, the responsibility of the press is to uphold truth, fairness, and integrity—not to reinforce harmful biases. We stand in solidarity with all those affected by Islamophobia and will continue to advocate for a Europe that upholds the fundamental values of justice and human dignity for all.
The International Federation for Rights and Development – IFRD
