The OIC and the UN

Islamophobia and ‘defamation of religion’

Abstract

The Universal Human Rights Declarations protects the fundamental rights of human beings, e.g. of individuals. The Organisation of Islam Conference has for years pushed for the United Nations Human Rights Council to change its covenants to protect religions instead of individuals. This can be regarded as an attempt to make defamation of Islam or the incitement of Islamophobia a punishable offence. As earlier efforts along these lines have stalled, the OIC is seeking to legitimise the defamation of religions issue by re-casting it as an issue of incitement to religious discrimination, hatred and violence, which poses a serious threat to public order, national security and human rights.