NEW YORK (AFP) - The UN Human Rights Council voted Wednesday to condemn the recent desecration of the Holy Qur’an.
Pakistan and other Organization of Islamic Cooperation countries brought forward a debate and resolution after an Iraqi refugee desecrated pages from the Holy Qur’an outside Stockholm’s main mosque last month. The incident triggered a diplomatic backlash across the Muslim world.
The United Nations’ top rights body backed the OIC resolution on countering religious hatred by 28 votes in favor, with 12 against and seven abstentions.
Britain, the United States, European Union countries including France and Germany, plus Costa Rica and Montenegro, voted against the resolution.
And there was little sense of triumph from Pakistan’s ambassador Khalil Hashmi, speaking for the OIC.
Hashmi insisted the resolution was not looking to curtail free speech, but had been aimed at striking a prudent balance.
“Regrettably, some states have chosen to abdicate their responsibility to prevent and counter the scourge of religious hatred,” he said.
“A message has been sent to billions of people of faith across the world that their commitment to prevent religious hatred is merely a lip service.
“The opposition of a few in the room has emanated from their unwillingness to condemn the public desecration of the Holy Qur’an.
“They lack political, legal and moral courage.”
The wording of the resolution condemns all manifestations of religious hatred, including “public and premeditated acts of desecration of the Holy Qur’an”, and underscores the need to hold those responsible to account.
It urges states to adopt laws to “address, prevent and prosecute acts and advocacy of religious hatred that constitute incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence”.
It also wants the UN rights chief Volker Turk to identify gaps in countries’ laws in light of the resolution.