A/HRC/58/34 they addressed its structural drivers, including blasphemy laws and discriminatory legal provisions which situated Ahmadis, their legal representatives and allies, and other religion or belief minorities, in grave danger of human rights violations. 16 26. These concerns were echoed in November by the Human Rights Committee in its concluding observations on the second periodic report of Pakistan. It recommended that Pakistan, inter alia, repeal all blasphemy laws or amend them in compliance with the strict requirements of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, take all the measures necessary to prevent violent attacks against persons accused of blasphemy and ensure that all those who incited or engaged in violence based on allegations of blasphemy, as well as those who falsely accused others of blasphemy, were brought to justice and duly punished.17 27. In July, in a statement issued under its early warning and urgent action procedure, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination expressed alarm at reports of widespread racist hate speech and harmful stereotypes against Rohingya who had fled Myanmar to India, including by politicians and public figures. It urged India to firmly condemn such acts and ensure they were investigated and adequately punished, in compliance with its international obligations arising from the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.18 28. In July, in its concluding observations on the fourth periodic report of India, the Human Rights Committee expressed concern about reports of discrimination against minority groups and violence and derogatory rhetoric against religious minorities, including Muslims, Christians and Sikhs. The Committee requested India, inter alia, to adopt robust measures to effectively prevent acts of discrimination, including by providing training and awareness-raising programmes to civil servants, law enforcement bodies, the judiciary, public prosecutors and religious and community leaders, and to promote respect for diversity among the general public.19 29. In August, in its concluding observations on the combined twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh periodic reports of Iraq, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination expressed concern over reports of discrimination against ethnic and ethno-religious minority groups, including Roma and non-Muslims, and people of African descent, as well as widespread hate speech and negative stereotypes. The Committee recommended that Iraq take necessary and special measures to combat poverty, marginalization and structural discrimination faced by Roma and people of African descent and ensure their access to education, employment, healthcare and unified national identity documents.20 30. In August, in its concluding observations on the combined twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth periodic reports of Belarus, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination expressed concern over administrative and other restrictions imposed on national and other minorities that prohibited them from fully enjoying freedom of association and the right to education, religion, language and culture. The Committee noted that those restrictions had led to, inter alia, the dissolution of minority associations, the closure of minority schools or the cancellation of cultural events. The Committee called upon Belarus to effectively implement the National Minorities Act and ensure that members of national and other minorities could enjoy fully their freedom of association, education in their languages, including Polish and Lithuanian, their culture, including organizing and participating in cultural activities, and freedom of religion.21 16 17 18 19 20 21 GE.25-00006 See www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/07/pakistan-experts-urge-immediate-end-discriminationand-violence-against. CCPR/C/PAK/CO/2, paras. 46 and 47. See www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/07/india-must-end-racial-discrimination-againstrohingya-cease-forced. CCPR/C/IND/CO/4, paras. 13 and 14. CERD/C/IRQ/CO/26-27, paras. 28–31. CERD/C/BLR/CO/24-25, paras. 29 and 30. 7