A/65/207
66. It is a challenge for many States to end all forms of discrimination on
religious grounds and to create an informed public opinion that can effectively
counter religious bigotry or prejudice against emerging belief communities. The
Special Rapporteur has noticed with regret that, as far as her mandate is
concerned, public denunciation of human rights abuses is often selective; the
religion of the victim and of the perpetrator, rather than the act itself, seems to
be a determining factor as to who feels obliged to publicly condemn an incident.
It is imperative that all human rights violations be adequately addressed,
regardless of the religious affiliation of the perpetrator or the victim.
67. In the present report (see paras. 5-52 above), the Special Rapporteur has
provided some examples from her mandate practice since 2004 to illustrate
what steps should be taken to protect and promote freedom of conscience,
thought, religion or belief. In this context, she would like to reiterate the
following recommendations:
(a) Constitutions and other domestic legislation must, by law and de
facto, guarantee freedom of religion or belief and the principle of
non-discrimination;
(b) States should ensure that no one within their jurisdiction suffers
from human rights violations, including deprivation of the right to life, liberty
or security of person, torture, arbitrary arrest or detention, because of religion
or belief, and States should bring to justice all perpetrators of such human
rights violations;
(c) States should enact legislation to eliminate harmful cultural practices
and discrimination against women, and should withdraw reservations which
may adversely affect or restrict international legal instruments concerning the
protection of the status of women;
(d) States should promptly provide redress in situations where persons
have been discriminated against in their access to education, medical care,
employment, humanitarian assistance or social benefits;
(e) States should review registration practices to ensure that such
practices do not limit the right of any persons to manifest their religion or
belief, either alone or in community with others, in public or in private;
(f) States should not deny official documents on the grounds of religion
or belief and should respect the individual’s right not to reveal his or her
beliefs;
(g) States should guarantee the rights to worship, assemble or teach in
connection with a religion or belief, to establish and maintain places for those
purposes and to write, issue and disseminate relevant publications in those
areas;
(h) States should ensure that religious sites are fully respected and
protected, and should adopt adequate measures aimed at preventing any
related acts or threats of violence;
(i) States should respect and protect the freedom to establish and
maintain religious, charitable or humanitarian institutions, in accordance with
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