The World Briefly

July 13, 2023

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The United Nations Human Rights Council approved a resolution on religious hatred Wednesday following a backlash by Muslim nations over the burning of a Quran in Sweden last month, but amid opposition from Western nations that it might restrict freedom of speech, Reuters reported.

The resolution calls for the UN rights chief to publish a report on religious hatred for nations to review laws that may “impede the prevention and prosecution of acts and advocacy of religious hatred.”

It was introduced by Pakistan on behalf of the 57-nation Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

The vote came less than a month after an Iraqi immigrant burned the Islamic holy book outside a mosque in the Swedish capital, Stockholm, an incident that prompted condemnation from across the Muslim world and demands by Muslim states for action.

But Western nations, including the United States and the European Union, voted against the resolution.

They countered that the resolution conflicts with their view on human rights and freedom of expression, adding that the OIC initiative was designed to mainly safeguard religious symbols.

Pakistan’s UN ambassador, Khalil Hashmi, said the text was balanced, while accusing the West of paying “lip service” to their commitment to preventing religious hatred, Euronews added.

The recent vote represents a significant setback for Western nations at a time when the OIC holds considerable influence in the UN body dedicated to safeguarding human rights.

Marc Limon, director of the Universal Rights Group based in Geneva, noted that this outcome demonstrates that “the West is retreating from its positions within the Human Rights Council.”

This story originally appeared in the July 13, 2023 newsletter, Twenty Years.