Argentina: UN human rights expert to hold meetings on religious freedom

Continuing his efforts to promote freedom of religion, a United Nations human rights expert will visit Argentina later this month at the invitation of the country's Government, the UN announced today.

The Special Rapporteur on religious intolerance of the Commission on Human Rights, Abdelfattah Amor, will head for Argentina on 23 April for a week of talks with government officials, representatives of various faiths and indigenous communities, as well as non-governmental organizations and individuals who may wish to testify in their personal capacity.

The visit to Argentina will take place within the framework of the Special Rapporteur's mandate to promote and protect freedom of religion or belief in the light of the UN Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination based on Religion or Belief. Adopted in 1981, the eight-article Declaration protects all forms of worship and related activities.

Mr. Amor, who has been Special Rapporteur since 1993, is Emeritus Dean of the Faculty of Juridical, Political and Social Sciences at Tunis, President of the International Academy of Constitutional Law and Vice-Chairman of the UN Human Rights Committee.