A/HRC/10/8/Add.1
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167. On 8 September 2008, Mr. Abdul Manan Siddiqi, President of the Ahmadiyya
community in Mirpurkhaas was murdered whilst working in the local hospital. On
9 September 2008, Mr. Seth Muhammad Yousuf, President of the Ahmadiyya community
in Nawab Shah was also murdered. It is feared that both Mr. Abdul Mannan Siddiqi and
Mr. Seth Muhammad Yousuf were killed solely because of their association with the
Ahmadiyya community.
168. In their urgent appeal, the two Special Rapporteurs referred to Human Rights Council
resolution 6/37 which urges States to take all necessary and appropriate action, in conformity
with international standards of human rights, to combat hatred, intolerance and acts of violence,
intimidation and coercion motivated by intolerance based on religion or belief, as well as
incitement to hostility and violence, with particular regard to religious minorities. They also
made reference to Human Rights Council resolution 7/36, which requested the Special
Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression,
within the framework of his mandate, to “report on instances in which the abuse of the right of
freedom of expression constitutes an act of racial or religious discrimination, taking into account
articles 19 (3) and 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and general
comment No. 15 of the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination,
which stipulates that the prohibition of the dissemination of all ideas based upon racial
superiority or hatred is compatible with the freedom of opinion and expression”. In addition,
they also referred to article 153 of the Penal Code of Pakistan which recognizes that “whoever
commits or incites any other person to commit, any act which is prejudicial to the maintenance
of harmony between different religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or
communities or any group of persons identifiable as such on any ground whatsoever and which
disturbs or is likely to disturb public tranquillity” is liable before the law.
Observations
169. The Special Rapporteur regrets that she has not received a reply from the Government of
Pakistan concerning the above mentioned allegations. She would like to recall that General
Assembly resolution 63/181 urged States to step up their efforts to eliminate intolerance and
discrimination based on religion or belief, notably by taking all necessary and appropriate action,
in conformity with international standards of human rights, to combat hatred, discrimination,
intolerance and acts of violence, intimidation and coercion motivated by intolerance based on
religion or belief, as well as incitement to hostility or violence, with particular regard to members
of religious minorities in all parts of the world.
170. The Special Rapporteur is very concerned by the continued violations of freedom of
religion or belief suffered by members of the Ahmadiyya community, including through
incitement to religious hatred. In this regard, she would like to refer to the report on the expert
seminar on “Freedom of expression and advocacy of religious hatred that constitutes
incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence”, convened by the United Nations
High Commissioner for Human Rights and held in Geneva on 2 and 3 October 2008 (see
A/HRC/10/31/Add.3).