Silenced: How Apostasy and Blasphemy Codes Are Choking Freedom Worldwide (94 page)

9
.
Ten-Year Programme of Action to Meet the Challenges Facing the Muslim Ummah in the 21st Century
, Third Extraordinary Session of the Islamic Summit Conference, Organisation of the Islamic Conference, December 7–8, 2005,
http://www.oic-oci.org/ex-summit/english/10-years-plan.htm
; “Islamophobia,” from OIC journal issue 1,
http://www.oic-oci.org/english/article/islamophobia.htm
.

10
.
Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam
, adopted during the Nineteenth Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (Session of Peace, Interdependence and Development), Cairo, Egypt, 31 July to August 5, 1990,
http://www.oicun.org/articles/54/1/Cairo-Declaration-on-Human-Rights-in-Islam/1.html
. For an analysis of the Declaration, see Anne Elizabeth Mayer,
Islam and Human Rights: Tradition and Politics
, 3rd ed. (Boulder: Westview Press, 1999).

11
.
Support by the United Nations system of the efforts of Governments to promote and consolidate new or restored democracies
, Report of the Secretary-General, August 23, 2007, A/62/296, p. 16. For references to Cairo also see, for example, Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Economic and Social Council, Substantive session of 1999, Geneva, July 29, 1999, E/1999/96, p. 11, and resolution 1998/17 (August 21, 1998)
on the Situation of Women in Afghanistan, which misleadingly pronounced that “the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam, adopted by the Organization of the Islamic Conference in 1990, guarantees the rights of women in all fields” (in Report of the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, E/CN.4/1999/4 (also listed under E/CN.4/Sub.2/1998/45), pp. 49–50. For a complete list search for “Cairo Declaration on Human Rights” in the UN Official Document System, see
http://documents.un.org/advance.asp
.

12
. United Nations Update,
Human Rights Brief
16, no. 1 (2008): 53–54,
http://www.wcl.american.edu/hrbrief/16/1unupdate.pdf?rd=1
.

13
. “UN Hosts First Meeting Tackling Islam and Human rights,”
Agence France Presse (AFP
), November 9, 1998; “Search for Unity in Cultural Diversity Is Particular Responsibility of the UN, Says UN High Commissioner, Mary Robinson, to Seminar on Islam and Universal Declaration for Human Rights,” UN press release, November 9, 1998,
http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/(Symbol)/HR.98.85.En?Opendocument
.

14
. “UN’s top human rights official urges action to combat ‘Islamophobia,’” UN press release, March 15, 2002,
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=3128&Cr=Robinson&Cr1=&Kw1=islam&Kw2=&Kw3
.

15
. “Islamic Principles Integral Part of Human Rights: UN Rights,”
AFP
, March 15, 2002.

16
. Summary record of the 20th meeting, 49th session, Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, UN Commission on Human Rights, held August 19, 1997, released August 22, 1997, E/CN.4/Sub.2/1997/SR.20, p. 7; “Foreign Conspiratorial Schemes Against the Sudan,” Resolution 5896, adopted by the Council of the League of Arab States on September 13, 1999, submitted in a letter to the President of the UN Security Council on September 23, 1999, UN document S/1999/997. See also Christian Solidarity International, “Islamic Violence Against Freedom of Expression,” letter to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, February 8, 2006.

17
.
Report by Mr. Maurice Glele-Ahanhanzo, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
, UN Commission on Human Rights, 53rd session, January 16, 1997, E/CN.4/1997/71, p. 14; “UN Rapporteur’s ‘Offensive’ Text Earns Official Rap,”
AFP
, April 18, 1997; Summary record of the 68th meeting, 53rd session, UN Commission on Human Rights, April 18, 1997, released September 3, 1997, E/CN.4/SR.68, pp. 4–7; Summary record of the 70th Meeting, 53rd Session, UN Commission on Human Rights, April 28, 1997, E/CN.4/1997/SR.70, p. 7.

18
.
Corrigendum to Report by Mr. Maurice Glele-Ahanhanzo, Special Rapportuer on Contemporary Forms of Racism, Racial Intolerance, and Related Discrimination
, UN Commission on Human Rights, July 8, 1997, E/CN.4/1997/71/Corr.1; Summary record of the 11th Meeting, 54th Session, UN Commission on Human Rights, March 25, 1998, E/CN.4/1998/SR.11, p. 10;
Report by Mr. Glele-Ahanhanzo, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
, UN Commission on Human Rights, 55th Session, January 15, 1999, E/CN.4/1999/15, p. 20. See also David Littman, “Islamism Grows Stronger at the United Nations,”
Middle East Quarterly
6, no. 3 (September 1999),
http://www.meforum.org/article/477
.

19
. See for instance A/RES/61/164.

20
. Joint written statement submitted by the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU), a nongovernmental organization in special consultative status, the Association for World Education (AWE), and the Association of World Citizens (AWC), nongovernmental organizations on the Roster, UN Human Rights Council, 7th session, submitted February 24, 2008, distributed March 4, 2008, A/HRC/7/NGO/96; “Islamic states seek world freedom curbs: humanists,”
Reuters
, March 12, 2008,
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL1277265220080312?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&rpc=22&sp=true
.

21
. Statement by the International Humanist and Ethical Union at the 21st plenary meeting of the 7th session of the UN Human Rights Council, March 13, 2008, UN Human Rights Council Archived video,
http://www.un.org/webcast/unhrc/archive.asp?go=080313
; “IHEU
‘Ambushed’ at Human Rights Council,” International Humanist and Ethical Union, March 14, 2008,
http://www.iheu.org/node/3115
.

22
. Joint statement by the Association for World Education and the International Humanist and Ethical Union before the 23rd plenary meeting of the 8th session of the UN Human Rights Council, June 16, 2008, UN Human Rights Council archived video,
http://www.un.org/webcast/unhrc/archive.asp?go=080616
(the text of this exchange is found in several different video segments on this page, mostly under the heading “Points of order”).

23
. Frank Jordans, “Muslim Countries Win Concession Regarding Religious Debates by UN Human Rights Body,”
Associated Press (AP
), June 18, 2008; “U.N.’s Arbour Opposes ‘Taboos’ in Human Rights Body,” Reuters, June 18, 2008,
http://www.reuters.com/article/world-News/idUSL1856437520080618
.

24
. Summary record of the 1st Meeting of the 2nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council, Geneva, September 18, 2006, A/HRC/SR.1, released September 28, 2006.

25
. UN Web cast of the 20th Plenary Meeting of the 9th Session of the Human Rights Council, September 23, 2008,
http://www.un.org/webcast/unhrc/archive.asp?go=080923
.

26
. Official record of the 4th plenary meeting of the 54th session of the UN General Assembly, September 20, 1999, A/54/PV.4, p. 34.

27
. UN Commission on Human Rights Resolution 1999/82, “Defamation of Religions,” adopted April 30, 1999,
http://www.unhchr.ch/Huridocda/Huridoca.nsf/(Symbol)/E.CN.4.RES.1999.82.En?Opendocument
.

28
. Summary record of the 61st Meeting, 55th session, UN Commission on Human Rights, held April 29, 1999, released October 19, 1999, E/CN.4/1999/SR.61, p. 2.

29
. Compare draft resolution “Defamation of Religions,” UN Commission on Human Rights, 56th session, April 5, 2000, E/CN.4/2000/L.6, to final resolution 2000/84, April 26, 2000; Pakistani/OIC amendments to the amendments contained in document E/CN.4/2000/L.18 to draft resolution E/CN.4/2000/L.6, UN Commission on Human Rights, 56th session, April 20, 2000, E/CN.4/2000/L.96; see also UNCHR, report on the 56th session, E/CN.4/2000/167 or E/2000/23, pp. 336–38,
http://www.unhchr.ch/Huridocda/Huridoca.nsf/(Symbol)/E.CN.4.2000.167+E.2000.23.En?Opendocument
.

30
. Summary record of the 67th meeting, 56th session, UN Commission on Human Rights, April 26, 2000, released December 1, 2000, E/CN.4/2000/SR.67, pp. 14–15.

31
. UNCHR Resolution 2001/4, “Combating Defamation of Religions as a Means to Promote Human Rights, Social Harmony and Religious and Cultural Diversity,” adopted April 18, 2001,
http://www.unhchr.ch/huridocda/huridoca.nsf/(Symbol)/E.CN.4.RES.2001.4.En?Opendocument
.

32
. Audio recording of the 61st meeting of the 57th session of the UN Commission on Human Rights, April 18, 2001,
http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu2/2/57chr/57audio.htm
.

33
. Guatemala, India, Nigeria, the Republic of Korea, South Africa, and several other African nations abstained. UNCHR, Report on the 57th Session, Supplement No. 3, UN Economic and Social Council, Official Records, 2001, E/2001/23 or E/CN.4/2001/167, p. 372,
http://www.unhchr.ch/Huridocda/Huridoca.nsf/e06a5300f90fa0238025668700518ca4/4788ae6d51ed9fe8c1256a920035e0ba/$FILE/G0115748.pdf
.

34
. Summary record of the 39th meeting of the 58th session, UN Commission on Human Rights, April 15, 2002, released April 19, 2002, E/CN.4/2002/SR.39, pp. 6–8.

35
. From (in order):
Report by Mr. Doudou Diène, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, submitted pursuant to Commission on Human Rights resolution 2002/9
, UN Commission on Human Rights, 59th session, January 3, 2003, E/CN.4/2003/23;
Situation of Muslim and Arab peoples in various parts of the world—Report by Mr. Doudou Diène, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
, UN Commission on Human Rights, February 23, 2004, E/CN.4/2004/19;
Addendum
to the previous, December 13, 2004, E/CN.4/2005/18/Add.4.

36
. September 2, 2008, A/HRC/9/12.

37
.
Situation of Muslim and Arab peoples in various parts of the world
(2004 report);
Situation of Muslim and Arab peoples in various parts of the world—Report by Mr. Doudou Diène, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
, UN Commission on Human Rights, 62nd session, February 13, 2006, E/CN.4/2006/17.

38
. January 3, 2003, E/CN.4/2003/23.

39
. February 13, 2006, E/CN.4/2006/17, p. 7.

40
. February 13, 2006, E/CN.4/2006/17.

41
. August 21, 2007, A/HRC/6/6; Statement of Doudou Diène, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance (as translated by a UN translator) before the 4th plenary meeting of the 6th session of the UN Human Rights Council, September 14, 2007, UN Human Rights Council archived video,
http://www.un.org/webcast/unhrc/archive.asp?go=070914
; also see “Islamophobia on Rise, Especially in Europe: UN Envoy,”
New York Times
, September 14, 2007. Diène also alleged that Islamophobia was “exceptional” since not only Muslims are attacked but also “the religion itself, Islam, its sacred book, the Koran, and its prophet, Mohammed, which is virtually unparalleled in today’s world,” February 23, 2004, E/CN.4/2004/19, p. 5.

42
. August 21, 2007, A/HRC/6/6; September 2, 2008, A/HRC/9/12; statement before the 4th plenary meeting of the 6th session of the UN Human Rights Council.

43
. In a rare instance when he acknowledged that “Islamophobia also stems from the attitude and behavior of some Muslims,” he quickly emphasized that this was connected to a “sense of victimization” produced by “the widespread influence of foreign powers over the course of the past century in the Middle East” (August 21, 2007, A/HRC/6/6).

44
. December 13, 2004, E/CN.4/2005/18/Add.4.

45
.
Report of the Special Rapporteur … Asma Jahangir, and the Special Rapporteur … Doudou Diène
, p. 8.

46
. Ibid., 10.

47
. Ibid., 12, 15.

48
. “Combating Defamation of Religions,” UN General Assembly, 60th session, resolution 60/150, adopted December 16, 2005, released January 20, 2006, A/RES/60/150.

49
. Official records of the 64th plenary meeting of the 60th session of the UN General Assembly, December 16, 2005, A/60/PV.64, p. 11. Voting patterns were similar to those in the commission: the OIC together with Russia, China, and other allies in Africa, Latin America, and Asia, versus the European Union and other European countries, Australia, Canada, Israel, the United States, and some additional countries, with India and others abstaining.

50
. UNCHR Resolution 2005/23, “Combating Defamation of Religions,” adopted April 12, 2005, in
Report on the Sixty-First Session, UN Commission on Human Rights, March 14–April 22, 2005, Supplement No. 3
, E/2005/3 or E/CN.4/2005/134, pp. 21–24. The session record for 2005 (E/CN.4/2005/SR.44) is available in French only.