6th UN Forum on Minority Issues, Geneva, 26-27 November 2013 Agenda Item 2: Legal framework and key concepts Carl Soderbergh, Director of Policy & Communications, Minority Rights Group International (MRG) Madam Chair, distinguished delegates, we need to consider the multi-faceted nature of the human rights of religious minorities. Immediately relevant are non-discrimination and equality, other minority rights standards and the right to freedom of religion or belief. The right to acquire citizenship is also important. One need only look at the plight of the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar to understand the crucial nature of this right. Given that religious practice can be personal or in groups, both the right to privacy and the right to freedom of association are vital to religious minorities. And the right to conversion is an integral part of the freedom of religion or belief. Thus, MRG would urge the Forum to take a truly comprehensive approach when affirming the relevant human rights standards. Madam Chair, paragraph 21 of the draft recommendations states that governments must review legislation that has a direct or indirect discriminatory impact on religious minorities. I wish to highlight certain cases that are of particular concern to MRG: Across Central Asia, religion laws have put into place registration requirements that are extremely bureaucratic and complex; alleged infringements can lead to fines and imprisonment. Thus, governments should review the discriminatory impact of official procedures. We would suggest that the draft recommendation already mentioned be amended to reflect this, In Pakistan, the notorious anti-blasphemy legislation remains in place, despite the fact that unfounded allegations made by private citizens regularly lead to