E/CN.4/1993/62 page 118 79. The Special Rapporteur has noted, for example, that the reward for the killing of Mr. Salman Rushdie, the author of The Satanic Verses, in pursuance of the religious ruling (fatwa) which had been issued against him, has been increased, a concern which is also shared by the Special Representative of the Commission on Human Rights on the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Countries which are parties to the International Covenants on Human Rights are obliged to respect the freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief of all persons. Since the Islamic Republic of Iran is a party to both Covenants, the Special Rapporteur would like to recall article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and emphasize that a decision which has not been issued by an independent tribunal where the accused would be entitled to defend himself with the assistance of legal counsel, to call witnesses and to exercise the right of appeal cannot be accepted. Offering a reward for the killing of such a person constitutes an incitement to crime and a call to religious hatred which is liable to legal prosecution in all countries where the rule of law prevails. 80. The Special Rapporteur has also been preoccupied by the periodic eruption of religious antagonism in certain parts of the world such as that which has occurred in northern Nigeria and Egypt between the Muslim and Christian communities, causing numerous casualties including the death of a well-known writer. In his report to the Commission on Human Rights at its forty-eighth session (E/CN.4/1992/52, paras. 47 and 48), the Special Rapporteur mentioned the situation concerning the sixteenth century Babri mosque in Ayodya, India. He deplores its destruction by Hindu militants at the beginning of December 1992 which had resulted in more than 1,000 deaths at the time the present report was being finalized. This unfortunate development has also given rise to the demolishing of Hindu temples in retaliation for this act as well as to violent outbursts of religious intolerance both in India and in a number of neighbouring and other countries. The Special Rapporteur has also been preoccupied by allegations of systematic violations of a wide range of the human rights of members of the Muslim community in Myanmar. 81. The Special Rapporteur has also been preoccupied by the recent modification of the Pakistan Penal Code which under section 295 C stipulates that the application of the death penalty is now mandatory for persons who have been convicted of defiling the name of the holy Prophet. In the case of certain religious minorities, this offence may reportedly be invoked for the mere peaceful expression of their religious beliefs. An additional disquieting development in Pakistan has been the mandatory mention of religion on identity cards as of 13 October 1992 which is feared to entail an increase in discrimination against members of minority religions. 82. In addition, the Special Rapporteur has noted that property claims by a number of churches in Eastern European countries such as Romania and the Ukraine have remained unresolved even after the nominal modification of relevant laws following the change of regime in the countries concerned. He has also noted the deterioration of the situation of members of certain religious communities in a number of countries or parts of countries, even when they do not necessarily constitute a minority, as is the case with the Shia religious community in Iraq and the members of the Christian and animist religions in southern Sudan.