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DPA
VIENNA
HATRED against foreigners is no longer reserved for populists but has seeped into Europe's centrist parties, UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein warned on Tuesday in Vienna.
Zeid spoke at a conference commemorating the Vienna Declaration that was adopted by UN~members 25 years ago to lay down universal human rights principles in the wake of the Cold War and the Yugoslav wars.
Human rights are in retreat in many countries around the world, Zeid said.
"Here in Europe, ethno-populist parties are in the ascendant in many countries - fuelling hatred and scarring their societies with deepening divisions,"~he continued.
"Almost everywhere, across Europe the hatred they direct at migrants has infiltrated the mainstream parties and skewed the political landscape towards greater violence and suffering,"~Zeid said.
The UN~diplomat with Jordanian and Swedish roots has previously lashed out at Hungary's controversial, tough policies against refugees and against groups that help them.
