A/73/362 clearly defined to ensure that they do not lead to unnecessary or disproportionate interference with freedom of expression. 25 Policing religious literature 53. Some States have also adopted measures to address concerns that some religious publications (both online and off), including sacred te xts, may constitute a threat to peace and security. Some of these States rely on the assessments of Government appointed “experts” to review religious literature and determine whether or not such material promotes “extremist” or doctrinally unsound views. In the light of such evaluations, States may decide to ban or censor certain religious materials or prohibit their distribution. 54. Justifications for such measures might argue that the text incites violence or contains violent imagery or language, or that the religious or belief community in question claims that their faith is the only path to salvation and truth, which can pose a threat to public order. Religious literature is an aspect of religious expression and therefore equally protected both by freedom of opinion and expression as well as by freedom of religion or belief; any interference with their production or dissemination can constitute a violation of these fundamental freedoms and must be strictly justified in line with the criteria set out in article 18, paragraph 3, and article 19, paragraph 3, of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 55. Moreover, the appointment of State “experts” to determine “authentic” interpretations of foundational texts of religions of beliefs can be problematic for several reasons. It may amount to a paternalistic interference in the right of individuals to determine for themselves how to engage peacefully with religious and philosophical beliefs, and it is contrary to the obligation of States to be an impartial guarantor of the rights to freedom of religion or belief of all persons within their jurisdictions. It may also violate the collective dimension of freedom of religion or belief, which includes doctrinal autonomy. State-sponsored interpretations of religion or belief are frequently associated with acts of intolerance. V. Mobilizing freedom of religion or belief to promote societal resilience against violent extremism 56. A growing body of scholarship highlights the role that freedom of religion or belief plays in promoting pluralistic societies which can sustain democratic governance based on the rule of law and respect for human rights, and its contribution to creating environments of mutual respect, tolerance and understanding among people of different religions, beliefs and cultures. 26 Environments in which the right to freedom of religion or belief is promoted and protected often foster safe spaces wherein hateful, violent narratives can be openly challenged. Moreover, freedom of religion or belief can advance peaceful coexistence and sustain societal cohesion, which are essential to public order, safety and long-term security. Individuals responsible for meeting security needs should engage with and listen to those who __________________ 25 26 18-14697 Human Rights Committee, general comment No. 34 (2011) on the freedoms of opinion and expression, para. 46. See Faiza Patel and Amrit Singh, “The human rights risks of countering violent extremism programs”. See also Anthony Gill and Timothy Shah, “Religious freedom, democratization, and economic development: a survey of the causal pathways linking religious freedom to economic freedom and prosperity and political freedom and democracy”, paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association for the Study of Religion, Economics, and Culture, Washington, D.C., 13 April 2013. Available at www.asrec.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Gill-Shah-Religiousfreedom-democratization-and-economic-development.pdf. 15/22