Human Rights Council concerned over stigmatising Muslim, Arab minorities (With photos) GENEVA, March 30 (KUNA) -- The Human Rights Council adopted a resolution Friday that expressed concern at laws or administrative measures specifically designed to "control" and "monitor" Muslim and Arab minorities, thereby stigmatizing them further and legitimating the discrimination they experienced.
The resolution was passed with 24 votees for, 14 against, and 9 abstentions.
The council also expressed deep concern over attempts to identify Islam with terrorism, violence and human rights violations.
Presented by Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the resolution on combating defamation of religions that was adopted noted with deep concern the intensification of the campaign of defamation of religions and ethnic and religious profiling of Muslim minorities in the aftermath of 9/11.
The resolution recognizes that, in the context of the fight against terrorism, defamation of religions becomes an aggravating factor that contributes to the denial of fundamental rights and freedoms of target groups, as well as their economic and social exclusion.
In addition, it expressed concern at negative stereotyping of religions and manifestations of intolerance and discrimination in matters of religion or belief.
The resolution strongly deplores physical attacks and assaults on businesses, cultural centres and places of worship of all religions as well as targeting of religious symbols.
It urges states to take resolute action to prohibit the dissemination of racist and xenophobic ideas and material aimed at any religion or its followers that constitute incitement to racial and religious hatred, hostility or violence.
In addition, the resolution urges states to provide, within their respective legal and constitutional systems, adequate protection against acts of hatred, discrimination, intimidation and coercion resulting from defamation of religions.
The resolution deplores the use of the print, audio-visual and electronic media, including the Internet, and any other means to incite acts of violence, xenophobia or related intolerance and discrimination towards Islam or any other religion.
In addition, it invites the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance to regularly report on all manifestations of defamation of religions and in particular on the serious implications of Islamophobia on the enjoyment of all rights.
The resolution requests the High Commissioner for Human Rights to report to the Human Rights Council on the implementation of this resolution at its sixth session. Pakistani diplomat and coordinator of the OIC in Geneva Ambassador Tehmina Janjua told the council when introducing the adopted draft said that post-9/11, Muslims had suffered from systematic and collective discrimination as members of a global community belonging to one religion.
"The acts of a few persons professing to be Muslims allow to target one billion Muslims with the brush of terrorism," she stressed. (end) hn.ema KUNA 301349 Mar 07NNNN