The Human Rights Council Forum on Minority Issues 7th Session Geneva, November 25-26, 2014 Thank you Mister President for the opportunity to intervene… My name is Jameel from Iraq representing the minority Feyli Kurds. I am an organiser for Ashur Organization for Human Rights, one of the participants in the Minorities Fellowship Programme (MFP) launched by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). I would like to thank the High Commissioner for the opportunity to speak at this forum. One of the most important challenges facing minorities in my country are the hate speeches and the incitement of violence against minorities by armed groups especially ISIL, which has encouraged this via media and social networks. More than 12,000 minority and religious individuals have been killed and thousands have fallen victim to forced migration especially in the Mosul Province. Religious leaders from different sects have played an important role in stopping incitement against minorities. The Iraqi government has also played a positive role in coordination with the UN and other international organisations working in my country. They have provided safe havens and emergency humanitarian aid for forced migrants. The latest statement issued by the Iraqi government considers what ISIL has committed against minorities as a crime of genocide. Our recommendation to the Forum is as follows: 1. Adding a sentence to the text of Recommendation no. 68 which states: passing laws that criminalise violence against minorities most importantly hate speeches as it conforms to Article 4 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and Article 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 2. Adding a sentence to the text of Recommendation no. 76 which includes the insertion of educational programmes about dialogue and tolerance, most importantly programmes about hate speech and freedom of expression. Thank you once again.