UN rights body condemns any manifestation of religious hatred

Geneva, July 13 (IANS) The UNHRC has adopted a resolution in which it condemned and strongly rejected any advocacy and manifestation of religious hatred.

This is also in response to the recent public and premeditated acts of desecration of the Holy Quran, Xinhua news agency reported on Wednesday.

The resolution underscores the need for holding those responsible to account in a manner consistent with obligations of states arising from international human rights law, and calls upon states to adopt national laws, policies and law enforcement frameworks that address, prevent and prosecute acts and advocacy of religious hatred that constitute incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, and to take immediate steps to ensure accountability.

The resolution urges the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and all relevant special procedures of the Human Rights Council, and treaty bodies within their respective mandates, to speak out against advocacy of religious hatred and to formulate recommendations on addressing this phenomenon.

In addition, the resolution requests the UN High Commissioner to present at the next Human Rights Council session an oral update on the various drivers, root causes and human rights impact of religious hatred constituting incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, highlighting gaps in existing national, legal, policy and law enforcement frameworks.

It also requests the UN rights body to hold an interactive dialogue in this regard, as well as to organise an interactive panel discussion of experts in the near future to identify the drivers, root causes and human rights impact of desecration of sacred books and places of worship as well as religious symbols as a manifestation of religious hatred, which could constitute incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence.

After an urgent debate on Tuesday about the alarming rise in premeditated and public acts of religious hatred as manifested by the recurrent desecration of the Holy Quran in some European and other countries, the UNHRC on Wednesday adopted the resolution by a vote of 28 in favour, 12 against and seven abstentions.