A/71/325 I. Introduction 1. The present report of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance is submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 70/139, entitled “Combating glorification of Nazism, neo-Nazism and other practices that contribute to fuelling contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance ”, and to Assembly resolution 70/140. 2. Concerned by the spread of extremist political parties, movements and groups in many parts of the world, including neo-Nazis and skinhead groups and similar extremist ideological movements, which has led to an increasing number of acts of racially based violence and mounting hate speech in the public sphere, as previously reported by the Special Rapporteur (see A/HRC/32/49 and A/70/321), the General Assembly recalled, in its resolution 70/139, the request of the Commission on Human Rights, in its resolution 2005/5, that the Special Rapporteur continue to reflect on this issue, make relevant recommendations in his future reports and seek and take into account the views of Governments and non-governmental organizations. In the same resolution, the Assembly also requested the Special Rapporteur to prepare, for submission at its seventy-first session and for submission to the Human Rights Council at its thirty-second session, reports on the implementation of the resolution based on the views collected in ac cordance with the above-mentioned request of the Commission on Human Rights. 3. In its resolution 70/139, the General Assembly emphasized the recommendation of the Special Rapporteur that “any commemorative celebration of the Nazi regime, its allies and related organizations, whether official or unofficial, should be prohibited by States”, and stressed that it is important that States take measures, in accordance with international human rights law, to counteract any celebration of the Nazi SS organization and all its integral parts, including the Waffen SS. The Assembly also expressed concern about recurring attempts to desecrate or demolish monuments erected in remembrance of those who fought against Nazism during the Second World War, as well as to unlawf ully exhume or remove the remains of such persons, and urged States to fully comply with their relevant obligations, inter alia, under article 34 of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions of 1949. 4. In the same resolution the General Assembly also noted with concern the increase in the number of racist incidents worldwide, including the rise of skinhead groups, which have been responsible for many of these incidents, as well as the resurgence of racist and xenophobic violence targeting, inter ali a, persons belonging to national, ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities. The Assembly also condemned without reservation any denial or attempt to deny the Holocaust, welcomed the call of the Special Rapporteur for the active preservation of those Holo caust sites that served as Nazi death camps, concentration and forced labour camps and prisons, as well as his encouragement of States to take measures, including legislative, law enforcement and educational measures, to put an end to all forms of Holocaus t denial and called upon States to continue to take adequate steps, including through national legislation, in accordance with international human rights law, aimed at the prevention of hate speech and incitement to violence against persons belonging to vulnerable groups. 16-13939 3/20