“Defamation of religion” becomes UN resolution
On December 18 last year the UN General Assembly adopted a raft of resolutions recommended by its Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural). While many of them were progressive – one called for a moratorium on the death penalty – there was also one long campaigned for by the Organisation of the Islamic Conference: “combating defamation of religions”.
Draft resolution VI on Combating defamation of religions (document A/C.3/62/L.35), approved as orally revised by a recorded vote of 95 in favour to 52 against, with 30 abstentions, on 20 November, would have the Assembly express deep concern about the negative stereotyping of religions and manifestations of intolerance and discrimination in matters of religion or belief, still in evidence in some regions of the world. The Assembly would emphasize that everyone has the right to freedom of expression, which should be exercised with responsibility and may therefore be subject to limitations, according to law and necessary for respect of the rights or reputations of others; protection of national security or of public order, public health or morals; and respect for religions and beliefs.
This was adopted with 108 in favour and 51 against:
In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Grenada, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nicaragua, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Against: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Palau, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States.
The only religion actually mentioned in the document (PDF download) is Islam, of course. Here’s para 9:
Stresses the need to effectively combat defamation of all religions
and incitement to religious hatred, against Islam and Muslims in particular;
You’ve got to be kidding me!
I bet most of those for this resolution would in turn vote AGAINST a resolution condemning the ill-treatment of women in regards to religious fundamentalism.
Religion DESERVES to be ridiculed and defamed if only for the human rights abuses it’s adherents force upon women.
Besides; How the hell does one actually define “defamation”, I suppose any critical assessment of a religious practitioners freedom of religion, like stoning an “adulterous” woman raped by her brother should be frowned upon.
Stupid skeptics! Religion is for kids!
That reads (generally) like a list of backward countries with poor human rights records vs. the forward thinking, secular countries with good human rights and free speech. Course, I’m sure there are exceptions… but what does this mean for freedom of speech for all of us?
What does it also mean for the publication of books such as God Delusion? It’s serious question… but I’m not a lawyer or even vaguely knowledgable in these areas so I would like to know.
UN General Assembly resolutions are non-binding, so Dawkins, Hitchens et al are not going to be dragged off to the cells just yet.
Thanks Andrew. I can breathe a little easier now (why can’t we get email updates for these comments). It still leaves an unpleasant taste though. The UN is supposed to be forward thinking, this is backward: and a long way back at that.
I’m pissed off that my country voted in favour of this silly resolution. I have to email my country’s ambassador to the UN.
The resolution states: “The Assembly would emphasize that everyone has the right to freedom of expression, which should be exercised with responsibility and may therefore be subject to limitations” Presumably those limitations are: you can’t say ‘religion is a load of fictional bollocks’ even if you *really* believe that to be true…you can only say obtusely moronic offesive shit if it’s backed up by some obtusely mis-represented passage in what religious book you follow.
Don’t worry about this resolution. It is in good company with others brilliant resolutions like “Israel is a racist state”. One look at the list of pros and cons say it all.
On the Pro side sits Moslem states Or poor states that can be “influenced”.
Which countries abstained, just out of interest?
UN resolutions are not binding are they – I think we should ignore this idiocy
Russia in favour — times have changed, eh?
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sounds like religious suppression-see text of resolution
[…] The Resolution reads: Draft resolution VI on Combating defamation of religions (document A/C.3/62/L.35), approved as orally revised by a recorded vote of 95 in favour to 52 against, with 30 abstentions, on 20 November, would have the Assembly express deep concern about the negative stereotyping of religions and manifestations of intolerance and discrimination in matters of religion or belief, still in evidence in some regions of the world. The Assembly would emphasize that everyone has the right to freedom of expression, which should be exercised with responsibility and may therefore be subject to limitations, according to law and necessary for respect of the rights or reputations of others; protection of national security or of public order, public health or morals; and respect for religions and beliefs. […]
It looks like of the non-muslims countries, 51 voted against it and 22 for; but all 58 muslim countries voted for it.
[…] a resolution called “Defamation of Religion.” While ostensibly defending all religions it actually never mentions any of them by name, except for Islam: The only religion actually mentioned in the document (PDF download) is Islam, of course. Here’s […]
First step back into the dark ages, scary.
May I be the first then to insult RADICAL Islam, you know those who support terrorism…. I hope you die.
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