UN rights council passes Islamic resolution on religious defamation

The Associated Press
March 27, 2008
The International Herald Tribune
Original Source: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/03/27/news/UN-GEN-UN-Rights-Council.php
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/03/27/news/UN-GEN-UN-Rights-Council.php \o Click to view map GENEVA: The top U.N. rights body on Thursday passed a resolution proposed by Islamic countries saying it is deeply concerned about the defamation of religions and urging governments to prohibit it.
The European Union said the text was one-sided because it primarily focused on Islam.
The U.N. Human Rights Council, which is dominated by Arab and other Muslim countries, adopted the resolution on a 21-10 vote over the opposition of Europe and Canada.
EU countries, including France, Germany and Britain, voted against. Previously EU diplomats had said they wanted to stop the growing worldwide trend of using religious anti-defamation laws to limit free speech.
The document, which was put forward by the Organization of the Islamic Conference, expresses deep concern at attempts to identify Islam with terrorism, violence and human rights violations.
Although the text refers frequently to protecting all religions, the only religion specified as being attacked is Islam, to which eight paragraphs refer.
The resolution notes with deep concern the intensification of the campaign of defamation of religions and the ethnic and religious profiling of Muslim minorities in the aftermath of the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001.
The EU said, International human rights law protects primarily individuals in their exercise of their freedom of religion or belief, not religions or beliefs as such.
Speaking for the EU, Slovenian Ambassador Andrej Logar said the 27-nation body was committed to tolerance, nondiscrimination and freedom of religion. But instead of a one-sided approach, it would be better to engage in dialogue with mutual respect.
The resolution urges states to take actions to prohibit the dissemination ... of racist and xenophobic ideas and material that would incite to religious hatred. It also urges states to adopt laws that would protect against hatred and discrimination stemming from religious defamation.
Saudi Arabia said, Maybe Islam is one of the most obvious victims of aggressions under the pretext of freedom of expression.
It is regrettable that there are false translations and interpretations of the freedom of expression, the Saudi delegation told the council, adding that no culture should incite to religious hatred by attacking sacred teachings.
Some 15 OIC members hold seats on the 47-nation council. All but Gabon, which abstained, voted for the resolution.
India, as one of 14 countries to abstain, said the text addressed the problem insufficiently from a narrow perspective because it focused on one religion.
The pressure to protect religions from defamation has been growing ever since a Danish magazine published caricatures of Muhammad, provoking riots across the Islamic world in 2006 in which dozens of people were killed. The publication of a different caricature in a Swedish newspaper last year again led to protests from Muslims.
Islamic tradition forbids pictures of Muhammad, and Muslims claimed the caricatures were intended to insult their faith.
The resolution expresses grave concern at the serious recent instances of deliberate stereotyping of religions, their adherents and sacred persons in the media.
In a separate vote, South Korea joined European countries and Japan in passing a U.N. resolution against human rights abuses in North Korea.
It was only the second time since 2003 that Seoul has supported a U.N. resolution on North Korean human rights rather than abstain.
The U.N. Human Rights Council in the resolution expressed deep concern about continuing reports of systematic violations in the North. The council decided to extend the appointment of a U.N. expert to investigate the country for another year.
It adopted the resolution on a 22-7 vote, with 18 abstentions. The no votes included China, Cuba, Russia, Indonesia, Egypt, Malaysia and Nicaragua.