The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) adopted Pakistan’s draft resolution on preventing religious hate in the context of the Quran-burning incident in Sweden, with India voting in favour of the resolution.
The draft resolution ‘Countering religious hatred constituting incitement to discrimination, hostility, or violence’ was adopted by the 47-member UNHRC in Geneva, with 28 members voting in favour, 7 abstentions, and 12 nations voting against.
India’s Support
India supported the resolution, saying it “condemns and strongly rejects the recent public and premeditated acts of desecration of the Holy Quran, and underscores the need for holding the perpetrators of these acts of religious hatred to account in line with obligations of States arising from international human rights law.”
India voted in favour of #UNHRC resolution that condemns and strongly rejects recent public and premeditated acts of desecration of the Holy #Quran.https://t.co/gQY64LoRmW
— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) July 12, 2023
Accordingly, India has sent a powerful message against intolerance, emphasising the relevance of international human rights legislation by joining other nations in recognising the need to hold offenders accountable for acts of religious hatred.
While India did not explain its vote in favour of the resolution on Wednesday, it had previously indicated an upsurge in “phobias” against all religions during a debate earlier this month. According to The Wire, the Indian statement read, “There is a need for the international community to recognise instances of intolerance, prejudice, phobia, and violence against followers of all religions and work together to eliminate them.”
By voting in favour, India joins Bangladesh, China, Cuba, Malaysia, the Maldives, Pakistan, Qatar, Ukraine, and the UAE in strongly denouncing recent acts of desecration of the Holy Quran.
Pakistan, on behalf of the OIC, had presented the draft resolution which condemned "recurring acts of public burning of the Holy Koran in some European and other countries". https://t.co/86373blzib
— The Wire (@thewire_in) July 12, 2023
Pakistan-led Resolution on Religious Hatred
The resolution, introduced by Pakistan on behalf of the 57-nation Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), requests that the UN Secretary-General publish a report on religious hatred, and that states review their laws to eliminate gaps that may “impede the prevention and prosecution of acts and advocacy of religious hatred.”
In the resolution, Pakistan recommended that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and all relevant special procedures of the Human Rights Council, within their respective mandates, “speak out against advocacy of religious hatred, including acts of desecration of sacred books that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence.”
Following the vote, Pakistani Ambassador Khalil Hashmi emphasised that the resolution “does not seek to curtail the right to free speech,” but rather attempts to establish a “prudent balance” between it and “special duties and responsibilities.”
Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said in a video address to council members, “We must see this clearly for what it is: incitement to religious hatred, discrimination and attempts to provoke violence.”
India voted in favour of #UNHRC resolution that condemns and strongly rejects recent public and premeditated acts of desecration of the Holy #Quran.https://t.co/gQY64LoRmW
— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) July 12, 2023
UN’s Response
According to Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the debate on the matter was ignited by recent cases of the burning of the Quran, which is the core of faith for over a billion people worldwide.
Türk stated, “Speech and inflammatory acts against Muslims, Islamophobia, antisemitism, and actions and speech that target Christians — or minority groups such as Ahmadis, Baha’is or Yazidis — are manifestations of utter disrespect. They are offensive, irresponsible and wrong.”
According to Türk, hate speech must be tackled by education, discourse, and interfaith involvement. He said that provocations like public Quran burnings “appear to have been manufactured to express contempt and inflame anger; to drive wedges between people; and to provoke, transforming differences of perspective into hatred and, perhaps, violence.”
Quran Burning in Sweden
Earlier this month, a Quran burning took place outside a mosque in Sweden on Eid al-Adha, one of Islam’s holiest days, sparking anger in many Muslim nations and drawing widespread condemnation of Swedish authorities.
In a protest outside a mosque in Stockholm, Iraqi immigrant Salman Momika intentionally burned pages from the sacred Islamic text, the Quran. Sweden’s police had granted permission for the protest after a Swedish court ruled that restricting it would violate the right to free expression.
In response, the OIC urged member countries to “take unified and collective measures to prevent the recurrence of incidents of desecration of copies of the Quran.”