NHRC urges nations to enact laws to address acts of religious hatred

HE the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) Maryam bint Abdullah al-Attiyah has urged all countries of the world to enact laws to address acts of religious hatred, and the public and deliberate desecration of holy books, to maintain security and civil peace, and to prosecute their perpetrators.Speaking during a panel discussion on "countering religious hatred' within the framework of the 55th session of the Human Rights Council, HE al-Attiyah affirmed that the NHRC is very understanding of the concerns regarding the infringement on freedom of opinion and expression, for which peoples have fought and paid dear prices.She pointed out that at the same time, it must be recognized that there is no contradiction between freedom of opinion and expression and the prevention of insulting beliefs, especially since insulting the beliefs of others is not a difference of opinion, but rather provocative actions aimed at spreading hatred and divisions.She pointed out that what is happening in Gaza is the clearest example of this, as wars violate the sanctity of religious places by targeting mosques and churches with bombing, destroying, and killing civilians sheltering there, and the repeated burning of the Holy Qur'an is a reason for hatred and division. She also underlined the need to review all efforts concerned with combating religious hatred and developing friendly relations between nations.She noted the need for the Human Rights Council to be strict in preventing violations of beliefs, adding that the National Human Rights Committee in Qatar affirms that it will continue to work to spread love and peace moved by its belief in the tolerant values of societies.She extended thanks to the Human Rights Council for adopting Resolution 53/1, which condemns calls for religious hatred, and strongly rejects any call to religious hatred or its manifestation, including the public and deliberate acts of desecration of the Holy Qur'an that occurred recently.