UN Third Committee Approves Defamation of Religions Resolution By Smaller Margin Than Last Year

Baptist Press reports that on Nov. 23,the United Nations Third Committee of the General Assembly approved a defamation of religions resolution (full text), but by a significantly smaller margin than last year.  The vote on the resolution this year was 76- 64 with 42 abstentions. Last year the vote was 81- 55.  The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom in its Fall Policy Focus discusses why the U.S. and others have oppose this resolution that has repeatedly been introduced by the Organization of the Islamic Conference. This year's resolution mentions "Judeophobia" and "Christianophobia" as well as Islamophobia as evils to be combatted. The U.N.General Assembly will vote on the resolution later this month.