A/HRC/16/53/Add.1 (b) No response received from the Government (c) Observations by the Special Rapporteur 412. The Special Rapporteur regrets that he has so far not received a reply from the Government of the United States of America concerning the above mentioned allegations. He would like to refer to Human Rights Council resolution 6/37, in which the Council urges States “to ensure that their constitutional and legislative systems provide adequate and effective guarantees of freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief to all without distinction, inter alia, by the provision of effective remedies in cases where the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, or the right to practice freely one’s religion, including the right to change one’s religion or belief, is violated”. 413. Furthermore, the Special Rapporteur would like to recall that the Human Rights Committee in its general comment 22 (1993) on freedom of thought, conscience and religion emphasized that “Persons already subject to certain legitimate constraints, such as prisoners, continue to enjoy their rights to manifest their religion or belief to the fullest extent compatible with the specific nature of the constraint.” 2. (a) Communication sent on 8 September 2010 jointly with the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance Allegations transmitted to the Government 414. The Special Procedures mandate holders brought to the attention of the Government information regarding plans by church members of the Dove World Outreach Center to burn copies of the Qur’an on the property of their New Testament Church in Gainesville, Florida. 415. According to information received, on a website, the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville publicly announced that on 11 September 2010, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., their members would be burning copies of the Qur’an, allegedly “in remembrance of the fallen victims of 9/11 and to stand against the evil of Islam – Islam is of the devil!” 416. Ms. Hillary Rodham Clinton, United States Secretary of State, condemned the church’s plans during her remarks at the Annual State Department Iftar dinner on 7 September 2010, indicating that she was “heartened by the clear, unequivocal condemnation of this disrespectful, disgraceful act that has come from American religious leaders of all faiths, from evangelical Christians to Jewish rabbis, as well as secular U.S. leaders and opinion-makers”. 417. While the Interim Fire Chief of Gainesville has reportedly denied a burn permit, the Dove World Outreach Center still intends to burn copies of the Qur’an on 11 September 2010. 418. The Special Rapporteurs urged the Government to take all necessary measures to guarantee that the rights and freedoms of members of the Muslim community in the United States of America are respected and protected. The Special Rapporteurs requested to be provided with information on any initiatives taken by the Government of the United States of America in this regard, including preventive ones. 78