Take steps to prevent anti-Muslim hatred, OIC urges UN members

New York: Condemning the desecration of the holy Quran outside a mosque in Sweden on the occasion of Eid Al Adha, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) urged the United Nations member states to take concrete steps to prevent the rise of islamophobia, and anti-Muslim hatred.

In a joint statement issues on Friday, an OIC group in New York strongly condemned ‘the abhorrent act’, which was seen as another manifestation of the alarming level of the Islamophobic, racist, and discriminatory trends spreading across the globe.

These provocative acts not only trigger widespread anguish among 1.5 billion Muslims, but also denigrate their religious sensitivities, the statement read. “It goes against the fundamental values of religious coexistence and intercultural dialogue that the United Nations stand for.”

It further stated: “Such provocative acts are contrary to the spirit of Articles (19) and (20) of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and cannot be justified under the right to freedom of expression or opinion, which carries responsibilities under international law.”

The OIC also flagged concern about recent attacks on mosques in Europe and persecution of Muslims around the world. “Under international law, states are duty-bound to prohibit any advocacy of religious hatred, leading to the incitement of violence,” the statement read.

OIC also emphasized inter-faith harmony and co-existence. “There is a need to promote inter-faith harmony and peaceful co-existence, the spirit of which was reflected in the commemoration of the first-ever international day to combat islamophobia’ earlier this year,” they said.