12.07.2023
The United States, the European Union and Britain have called on the United Nations to vote against a Pakistani draft resolution on acts of religious hatred such as the burning of the Quran, arguing that it endangers freedom of expression.
Several countries, including France and Germany, requested on Tuesday (July 11, 2023) more time to negotiate and reach a consensus, but Pakistan nonetheless submitted its decision after nearly four hours of discussion at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Belgian Ambassador Marc Becstein de Boitswerve said on behalf of the European bloc that “the issue of defining the line between freedom of expression Incitement to hatred is complex.” He added, “The European Union has no other choice but to request a vote on the resolution.”
However, the vote did not take place on Tuesday and will not take place before 0800 GMT on Wednesday due to the lack of interpreters.
Pakistan had requested this discussion on behalf of a number of OIC countries after Silwan Momica, an Iraqi refugee in Sweden, on June 28, burned pages from the Qur’an in front of the largest mosque in Stockholm and during Eid al-Adha.
And the Swedish police allowed the gathering during which it took place Burning pages of the Qur’an However, it later opened an investigation into “incitement against an ethnic group” because the arson attack took place in front of a mosque. This incident triggered Chain reaction in the Islamic world .
The draft resolution includes a condemnation of “every advocacy or expression of religious hatred, including the recent, overt and deliberate acts that have led to the desanctification of religion”. The Quran and calling on countries to adopt laws that enable them to bring to justice those responsible for such acts.
It requests the United Nations to identify countries that do not have such legislation and to organize a round table of experts to discuss the issue.
Pakistani Ambassador Khalil Hashemi saw it as a balanced text that does not point fingers at any country. However, a number of Western countries expressed during the debates their opposition to the anti-blasphemy laws, and at the same time strongly denounced the burning of the Qur’an in Sweden. “We regret having to vote against this unbalanced text, but it contradicts positions we have long taken on freedom of expression,” said US Ambassador Michelle Taylor.
As for her French counterpart, Jerome Bonnavon, he indicated that human rights protect “persons and not religions, sects, beliefs, or their symbols.”
British Ambassador Simon Manley admitted – like a number of other Western diplomats and the United Nations – that freedom of expression can be restricted in exceptional cases. “We do not accept that attacks on religion (…) by definition constitute an invitation to hatred,” he said.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk emphasized that ” hate speech In all its forms, it is increasing everywhere,” calling for combating it through dialogue and education.
He added that “inflammatory speeches and actions against Muslims and Anti-Semitism Actions and speeches targeting Christians – or minorities (…) are manifestations of complete disrespect”. He described them as “offensive”.
He continued, “Imposing restrictions on any speech or expression must remain an exception,” but international law requires “the prohibition of every advocacy of national, ethnic, or religious hatred.”
However, he believed that “any domestic restriction on the prevailing right to freedom of opinion and expression must be placed in such a way that its sole aim and result is to protect individuals – rather than to exempt religious belief from criticism.”
A.J.M/ (AFP)
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2023-07-12 14:34:01
