In its submission on Combating Defamation of Religions to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva IHEU has damned the current process at the UN as “unnecessary, flawed and morally wrong”. In the submission, IHEU affirms that each individual should be absolutely free to form, hold or change his or her beliefs and condemns any attempts at stereotyping of religions, racial profiling of individuals, and any and all calls for violence in the name of religion or God. IHEU also expresses deep concerned that the exercise to combat ‘defamation of religions’ could compromise established freedoms including freedom of expression, freedom of conscience and freedom of religion.

International Humanist and Ethical Union | The world union of Humanist organisations.

The IHEU says,

Within the context of human rights, the very concept of ‘defamation of religion’ is flawed, since it is individuals, both believers and non-believers alike, who have rights, not religions. Furthermore the lack of a definition of the term “defamation” leaves these resolutions open to abuse.

Further reading:

How the Islamic States dominate the UN Human Rights Council

How the left can criticise human rights hypocrisy – Ali Eteraz, The Huffington Post

Tags: IHEU, UN, Islamic+states, Defamation