President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister of Malaysia Enver IbrahimIn their joint statement, they stated that they condemn in the strongest terms the recent incidents in some European countries where copies of the Holy Quran were burned under the guise of freedom of expression, as well as populist discourses that encourage abuse, hate speech and aggression against Islam and Muslims.
According to the statement made by the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications, President Erdoğan, who is in New York to attend the 78th General Assembly of the United Nations (UN), and Malaysian Prime Minister Enver shared a joint statement regarding the “Increasing Acts of Hatred, Intolerance, Discrimination and Violence Against Muslims and Their Sacred People”. He did an explanation.
Recalling that they came together in New York on September 20 on the margins of the High Level Session of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly, the joint statement stated that the increasing trend of hatred, intolerance, discrimination and acts of violence against Muslims and their saints in many parts of the world, especially in Europe, has reached frightening levels. It was expressed with deep concern.
Shaped by xenophobia, negative profiling and prejudice against Muslims,
It was stated in the statement that a new form of racism characterized by the emergence of racism had emerged, and that the issue of preventing the burning of copies of the Holy Quran would be discussed at the Annual Coordination Meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to be held in New York on September 21.
In the statement, it was emphasized that terrorism and violent extremism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nation, civilization or ethnic group, and the adoption of United Nations General Assembly resolution No. 76/254 on the recognition of March 15 as the “International Day to Combat Anti-Islamism” was welcomed.
“We underline that such actions pose a threat to peace.”
It was stated that during the 53rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the emergency session where the alarming increase in deliberate and overt acts of religious hatred, manifested by repeated desecration of the Holy Quran, was discussed and the resolution defining the burning of holy books as religious hatred was adopted was also welcomed. In the statement, the decision on “Promoting Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue and Tolerance in the Combatting Hate Speech” adopted by the UN General Assembly on July 25 was reminded.
The statement emphasized that this decision defines all acts of violence against individuals on the basis of their religion or beliefs and acts against their religious symbols, holy books, places of worship, religious sites and temples as contrary to international law, and the following was noted:
“Recalling the decision adopted at the 18th Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on 31 July 2023, expressing concern about the intensification of the smear campaign against Islam, as well as the incitement of violence, acts of xenophobia and related intolerance against symbols of the Islamic religion, “We underline that such acts of hatred, racism, discrimination and xenophobia pose a threat to peace and encourage a culture of violence.”
“We condemn in the strongest terms populist rhetoric that encourages aggression.”
“We condemn in the strongest terms the recent incidents in some European countries where copies of the Holy Quran were burned under the guise of freedom of expression, as well as populist discourses that encourage abuse, hate speech and aggression against Islam and Muslims.” In the statement, the following evaluations were included:
“It reiterates the essential role of political commitment at the highest level for the full and effective implementation of United Nations Human Rights Council resolution 16/18 and urges States to pay particular attention to the importance of criminalizing incitement to violence based on religion or belief and to ensure accountability.” We urge urgent steps to be taken and reiterate the call in United Nations resolution 76/254 on strengthened efforts to stimulate global dialogue with a view to promoting the richness of religions and beliefs and a culture of tolerance and peace based on respect for human rights, and call upon all relevant stakeholders, including governments. “We call on them to increase their efforts to address discrimination, xenophobia, racism and hate speech in accordance with international human rights.”
On the Anadolu Agency website, the news presented to subscribers via the AA News Feed System (HAS) is summarized and published. Please contact us for subscription.
