UN General Assembly Adopts Resolution Condemning Violence Against Holy Books

Shafaq News/ The United Nations General Assembly, to address the rising violence based on religion and abuse of religious symbols and holy books, passed a resolution on Tuesday deploring such acts as violations of international law.

The resolution promotes dialogue between religions and cultures and urges the international community to tackle hate speech, which can fuel religious tensions and incite violence.

Adopting the resolution follows a series of Quran burnings and desecrations in several European countries, including a recent incident in Sweden where a copy of the Quran was burned in front of a mosque, provoking widespread international condemnation.

Leaders and politicians within the Muslim community have emphasized that such actions of desecration and provocation should not be protected under freedom of expression laws.

The 193-member General Assembly adopted Morocco's proposed resolution through consensus. It strongly denounces all forms of violence against individuals based on religion or belief. It condemns any acts directed against religious symbols, holy books, homes, businesses, properties, schools, cultural centers, places of worship, and attacks on sacred places, sites, and shrines that contravene international law.

On July 12, the UN Human Rights Council based in Geneva condemned recent attacks on the Quran, despite some Western countries voting against the resolution.

The Council's resolution called for condemning such attacks and labeled them as "acts of religious hatred."

Recent incidents of Quran burnings have occurred in front of Iraqi embassies in Sweden and Denmark, further escalating tensions. In Copenhagen, anti-Islam activists set fire to copies of the Quran in front of the Egyptian and Turkish embassies. Similar protests in Denmark and Sweden over the past weeks have deeply offended Muslims in those countries.

Reacting to these incidents, the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged the European Union authorities to reconsider the so-called "freedom of expression" and the right to demonstrate, emphasizing the need to respect religious sensitivities and avoid inflammatory actions.