A/HRC/58/49 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 9 January 2025 Original: English Human Rights Council Fifty-eighth session 24 February–4 April 2025 Agenda item 3 Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development Freedom of religion or belief and the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Report of the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Nazila Ghanea Summary In the present report, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Nazila Ghanea, explores intersections between the right to freedom of religion or belief and the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. While international standards providing for the protection of these rights are clear, and coercion can be identified as the key link between these rights, there is scant material directly related to the intersection of these rights. Given the lack of specific guidance in this area, in the report the Special Rapporteur will first explore the normative foundations of the rights in question and, based on this solid legal framework, investigate thematic issues that have been overlooked in theory and practice. This is not, however, a merely doctrinal work. It raises questions posed by victims, civil society organizations and experts who provided valuable input for the report. By comparing the information received in submissions and allegation letters with the material available on this topic, it became noticeable that States, courts and even those working directly with victims have not always adequately taken both rights into consideration in cases invoking overlapping concerns. The ultimate goal of the present report is to honour the victims of such violations by recommending a framework that will minimize the chances of repeated violations taking place again. GE.24-24412 (E) 080125 090125