15/L.1 Condemning the call to “burn a Koran day”

GE.10-16197

Human Rights Council Fifteenth session Agenda item 9 Racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance, follow-up and implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action

Pakistan (on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference): draft resolution

15/… Condemning the call to “burn a Koran day”

The Human Rights Council,

Reaffirming the pledge made by all States under the Charter of the United Nations to promote and encourage universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion,

Reaffirming also that all human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated,

Reaffirming further that discrimination between human beings on the grounds of religion or belief constitutes an affront to human dignity and a disavowal of the principles of the Charter, and shall be condemned as a violation of the human rights and fundamental freedoms proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and enunciated in detail in the International Covenants on Human Rights, and as an obstacle to friendly and peaceful relations between nations,

Welcoming all international and regional initiatives to promote cross-cultural and interfaith harmony, and their valuable efforts to promote a culture of peace and dialogue at all levels,

Welcoming also the resolve expressed in the United Nations Millennium Declaration, adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 55/2 on 8 September 2000, to take measures to eliminate the increasing acts of racism and xenophobia in many societies and to promote greater harmony and tolerance in all societies, and looking forward to its effective implementation at all levels,

Noting with deep concern the instances of intolerance, discrimination, profiling and acts of violence against Muslims occurring in many parts of the world,

1. Condemns the recent call by an extremist group to organize a “burn a Koran day”;

2. Also condemns any advocacy of religious hatred that constitutes incitement to hatred, discrimination, hostility or violence;

3. Calls upon the international community to stand united against such events, which undermine peaceful coexistence between nations and create an environment conducive to violence;

4. Calls upon all States to condemn and oppose, in accordance with their obligations, under international human rights law, any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to hatred, discrimination, hostility and violence;

5. Urges the international community to support all international and regional initiatives to promote cross-cultural and interfaith harmony.