International Representatives Call For Effective Measures To Combat Religious Discrimination

As previously reported, in March 2011, in a major policy shift, the 47-member United Nations Human Rights Council unanimously adopted a Resolution on Freedom of Religion or Belief which omits any reference to the concept of "defamation of religion" and instead focuses on the individual's right to freedom of belief.  Last week during her trip to Turkey, which included addressing the Organization of the Islamic Conference High-Level Meeting on Combating Religious Intolerance  (see prior posting), Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton joined with the Secretary General of the OIC and representatives of the EU, the Arab League, the African Union and 19 individual nations in issuing a joint statement calling for implementation of the the Human Rights Council resolution.  According to a State Department release issued July 15:

Participants, resolved to go beyond mere rhetoric, and to reaffirm their commitment to freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression by urging States to take effective measures, as set forth in Resolution 16/18, consistent with their obligations under international human rights law, to address and combat intolerance, discrimination, and violence based on religion or belief.