Bahrain participates in UNHRC urgent meeting on Quran burning

Manama, July 12 (BNA): Ambassador Dr. Yusuf Abdulkarim Bucheeri, the Director-General for Legal Affairs and Human Rights at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, participated in the United Nations Human Rights Council’s urgent debate.
 
The debate was convened by an urgent request from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to discuss the alarming rise in premeditated and public acts of religious hatred as manifested by the recurrent desecration of the Holy Quran in some European and other countries, on the sidelines of the 53rd session of the Human Rights Council.
 
The ambassador underlined that tolerance, brotherhood and humanity are among the core values and messages of the Holy Quran, highlighting that our Islamic religion advocates for coexistence and respect for others.
 
He also underscored that these repeated incidents of burning copies of the Holy Quran are unacceptable attacks and reprehensible practices that constitute an insult to Islam and Muslims.
 
He stressed that such incidents are inconsistent with religious freedom and the values of tolerance and human coexistence, and generate hatred, extremism, and violence, in addition to being inconsistent with international charters and laws.
 
Bucheeri reaffirmed His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s call to the international community that the approval of an international agreement to criminalize religious, sectarian, and racist hate speech in all its forms and manifestations has become imperative, including combating Islamophobia, xenophobia, and anti-Muslim crimes. As well as preventing the spread of rumours, violence, extremism, or terrorism through the use of the media, information, Internet networks, social communication, and open spaces.   
 
He further stressed the need to take decisive measures to prevent the recurrence of such practices that deviate from human and ethical values and principles, in support of more coexistent, tolerant and humane societies.