A/HRC/19/60
conclusions and recommendations in the related mission report, and information from the
Government and relevant United Nations documents, including from the universal periodic
review, special procedures and treaty bodies, are available online.2
C.
Examination of incidents and governmental actions incompatible with
the provisions of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of
Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief and
recommendation of remedial measures as appropriate
12.
The Special Rapporteur has continued to engage in constructive dialogue with States
by sending them communications to seek clarification on credible allegations of incidents
and governmental actions incompatible with the provisions of the 1981 Declaration on the
Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief.
Since 1986, the Special Rapporteur has sent more than 1,250 letters of allegation and urgent
appeals to a total of 130 States. The communications sent by the Special Rapporteur
between 1 December 2010 and 30 November 2011, and the replies received from
Governments, are summarized in the latest joint communications reports (A/HRC/18/51
and Corr.1 and A/HRC/19/44). Both reports demonstrate an innovative approach as they
contain hyperlinks to scanned communications sent by the Special Rapporteur and to the
full replies received from Governments during the above stated period.
13.
The Special Rapporteur‟s communications cover a wide range of thematic issues,
including allegations of disappearances, arrest and detention of individuals belonging to
religious minorities or belief communities. Key issues of concern include death threats and
discrimination against converts, as well as violent attacks against and killings of members
of religious communities and statements inciting violence directed against members of
religious minorities. The Special Rapporteur has also taken up allegations of public
manifestations of religious intolerance and stigmatization of persons based on their religion
or belief. Recent cases involve attacks on places of worship and religious tensions related to
religious sites and cases of peaceful protests and assembly in this context. In addition, the
Special Rapporteur has also analysed problematic constitutional and legislative systems and
draft legislation that fail to provide adequate and effective guarantees of freedom of
thought, conscience, religion and belief to all without distinction or provide additional
burdensome practices of recognition and identity for members of religious or belief
communities.
14.
Country visits offer further opportunities to examine and analyse such incidents and
governmental actions in greater detail. Conclusions and recommendations in country visit
reports can be tailored to the domestic legislation, bills, policies and their implementation.
Since the establishment of the mandate, the Special Rapporteur has conducted 33 country
visits, including one follow-up mission. A list of the country visits is contained in the
Special Rapporteur‟s report to the thirteenth session of the Human Rights Council
(A/HRC/13/40, para. 13). The Special Rapporteur would also like to highlight that the
Universal Human Rights Index of United Nations Documents, an online research tool,3
provides easy access to country-specific human rights information by compiling
conclusions and recommendations addressed by United Nations independent experts to
specific countries with the view of improving the human rights situation.
2
3
6
See www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/FreedomReligion/Pages/Visits.aspx.
See www.universalhumanrightsindex.org.