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UN rights expert warns against measures to restrict freedom of religion

UN rights expert warns against measures to restrict freedom of religion

The growing tensions between religious communities in many countries will only worsen if governments try to restrict the right to freedom of religion or belief, a United Nations human rights expert warns.

Asma Jahangir, the newly appointed Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, says in her office's annual report to the General Assembly that governments must play "a delicate role" to ensure that religious tensions do not transform into violent confrontations.

"Increasing polarization between various shades of opinion and across religious lines has to be addressed at a national level. Open discourse at the regional and international levels is also necessary," she states.

Presenting her report today to the General Assembly's social, humanitarian and cultural committee (also known as the Third Committee), Ms. Jahangir said some States had unduly restricted freedom of religion when they introduced anti-terrorism measures, thereby running the risk of breeding further intolerance.

In the report, based mostly on the work of her predecessor Abdelfattah Amor, Ms. Jahangir criticizes the move of some countries to restrict the practice of certain religious rites or ceremonies in the belief that those rites encourage intolerance.

"Such measures would be counter-productive and would be violative of the international norm of freedom of religion or belief."

Ms. Jahangir also notes the numerous reports of intolerance or hate towards Muslims and Islam, as well as "an equal number of reports of the use of highly inflammatory speech against other religions and their followers by certain recognized Muslim individuals and Islamic groups."

She cautions governments in these situations to remain steadfastly neutral and to not propose laws that could discriminate between various religious communities.

The report also details the Rapporteur's communications to 29 nations about concerns of possible restrictions of freedom of religion there, and those countries' responses.