LOC13:49
10:49 GMT
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)
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KUNA 301349 Mar 07NNNN