Combating glorification of Nazism and other practices that contribute to fuelling contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance A/RES/68/150 5. Emphasizes the recommendation of the Special Rapporteur that “any commemorative celebration of the Nazi Waffen SS organization and its crimes against humanity, whether official or non-official, should be prohibited by States”; 12 6. Expresses concern at recurring attempts to desecrate or demolish monuments erected in remembrance of those who fought against Nazism during the Second World War, as well as to unlawfully exhume or remove the remains of such persons, and in this regard urges States to fully comply with their relevant obligations, inter alia, under article 34 of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions of 1949; 13 7. Notes with concern the increase in the number of racist incidents worldwide, including the rise of skinhead groups, which have been responsible for many of these incidents, as well as the resurgence of racist and xenophobic violence targeting, inter alia, persons belonging to national, ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities; 8. Reaffirms that such acts may be qualified to fall within the scope of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination,3 that they may not be justified as exercises of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association as well as the rights to freedom of opinion and expression, and that they may fall within the scope of article 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 2 and may legitimately be restricted, as set out in articles 19, 21 and 22 of the Covenant; 9. Expresses deep concern at attempts at commercial advertising aimed at exploiting the sufferings of the victims of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the Second World War by the Nazi regime; 10. Stresses that the practices described above do injustice to the memory of the countless victims of crimes against humanity committed in the Second World War, in particular those committed by the SS organization and by those who fought against the anti-Hitler coalition and collaborated with the Nazi movement, and may negatively influence children and young people, and that failure by States to effectively address such practices is incompatible with the obligations of States Members of the United Nations under its Charter and is incompatible with the purposes and principles of the Organization; 11. Also stresses that such practices fuel contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and contribute to the spread and multiplication of various extremist political parties, movements and groups, including neo-Nazis and skinhead groups, and in this regard calls for increased vigilance; 12. Expresses concern at the human rights and democratic challenges posed by all extremist political parties, movements and groups; 13. Emphasizes the need to take the measures necessary to put an end to the practices described above, and calls upon States to take more effective measures in accordance with international human rights law to combat those phenomena and the extremist movements, which pose a real threat to democratic values; _______________ 12 13 Ibid., para. 137. United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1125, No. 17512. 3/6