From the Website of Vatican
Holy See firmly condemns desecration of religious symbols
In
a statement at the 53rd Regular Session of the Human Rights Council on
the recurrent desecration of the Quran in some countries, Vatican
representative Monsignor David Putzer reaffirms that freedom of
expression must never be used as an excuse to despise others.
The
Holy See has strongly condemned “the desecration, destruction or
disrespect for religious objects, symbols and places of worship”,
reiterating that these acts are an abuse of “the precious gift of
freedom of expression”, which “feed hatred, intolerance, and create
greater polarization in society”.
Speaking
earlier this week at the 53rd ordinary session of the UN Human Rights
Council, the Chargé d'Affaires of the Permanent Mission of the Holy See
to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva,
Monsignor David Putzer, said that “to wilfully insult religious beliefs,
traditions or sacred objects constitutes an attack on the human dignity
of the believer.”
The
session debated the recurrent desecration of the Quran in some European
and other countries and approved a resolution urging member states to
firmly prosecute acts of religious-based antagonism.
The
document also referred to the incident in Stockholm, Sweden, on 28
June, when a man staged the burning of pages of the Muslim holy book
outside a mosque, spurring worldwide condemnation, including that of
Christian Churches.
The UN resolution called for the perpetrators to be held to account, in accord with “international human rights law.”
Noting
that the “appalling” act “is particularly troubling”, as it also
denigrated the first day of the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha, in his
statement Monsignor Putzer recalled Pope Francis’ words in his recent
interview to the United Arab Emirate's daily 'Al-Ittihad.
In
the interview published on 3 July, the Pope said he was “outraged and
disgusted” by the desecration, remarking that: “Any book considered
sacred by its people must be respected out of respect for its believers,
and freedom of expression must never be used as an excuse to despise
others, and to allow this, must be rejected.”
“People
of faith play an important role in constructing a world that upholds
human dignity, protects human rights and promotes the common good.”
The
Vatican representative concluded his statement with Pope Francis’
words: “Today we need builders of peace, not makers of weapons; today we
need builders of peace, not instigators of conflict; we need
firefighters, not arsonists; we need advocates of reconciliation, not
people who threaten destruction.”
The
UN Human Rights Council resolution, passed on 12 July with 28 votes in
favor and 12 against, calls on member states to “examine their national
laws, policies, and law enforcement frameworks” to identify and rectify
“gaps that may impede the prevention and prosecution of acts and
advocacy of religious hatred.”
It
was backed by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, but was opposed
by the delegations of the United States and of other Western nations,
including France and Germany, arguing on the grounds of freedom of
expression.
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