Strong EU engagement during UN meeting on possible new international legal standards

The European Union has expressed deep concern over proposals for possible new international legal standards on defamation of religions, presented by the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and the African Group at the UN in Geneva during the session of the Ad Hoc Committee on Complementary Standards.

Ambassador Hans Dahlgren, representing the Swedish Presidency of the EU, has repeatedly during the meeting reiterated the EU's strong opposition to the concept of defamation of religion.

“Defamation of religions is not a human rights concept. Human rights protect individuals, not religions. Nor does the EU believe that the fight against racism can be advanced by limiting other, existing rights. It is worrying that some countries are now presenting proposals for new legal standards that clearly go in the wrong direction,” says Ambassador Dahlgren.

Ambassador Dahlgren adds that the EU will continue to strongly oppose all efforts to create new legal standards that would risk imposing new limitations or restrictions on existing rights, including the freedom of expression and the freedom of religion. Safeguarding the international human rights framework will remain a key priority for the EU at the UN.

The proposals, apparently envisaged for a new optional protocol to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) were presented by the OIC and the African Group in the Ad Hoc Committee on the Elaboration of Complementary standards in the field of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. The Ad Hoc Committee is an expert working group created by the UN Human Rights Council to implement the calls for new international standards in the field of racism included in the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action from 2001. The working group was ending its two-week yearly session in Geneva on Friday.

The EU has actively engaged in the working group presenting a number of proposals on how the fight against racism could be advanced. EU proposals include a study on the reasons why a number of countries still have not ratified the ICERD convention. The EU has also forwarded proposals on comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation, and has underlined the valuable role national human rights mechanisms can play in fighting discrimination and intolerance. The EU has also identified multiple discrimination, including discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, as an area that might merit the committee’s further attention.

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