Quran desecration: UN Human Rights Council calls urgent meeting on Pakistan's request
The Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council, which is meeting in session until July 14, will change its agenda to stage an urgent debate, following a request from Pakistan.—File Photo
Following a request from Pakistan, the Geneva-based United Nations’ Human Rights Council has called an urgent meeting over the recent incidents of religious hatred and the desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden.
A spokesperson on Tuesday also informed that the global human rights body, which is meeting in session until July 14, will change its agenda to stage an urgent debate on the issue of the rise of religious hatred later this week.
The meeting was called following a request from Pakistan, with the member state set to hold nationwide protests and demonstrations on Friday against the recent incident of the holy book’s desecration in Sweden.
“The UN Human Rights Council will hold an urgent debate to ‘discuss the alarming rise in premeditated and public acts of religious hatred, as manifested by the current desecration of the holy Quran in some European and other countries’,” council spokesman Pascal Sim told reporters.
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"This urgent debate will be convened following a request of Pakistan, sent on behalf of several members of the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation, including those that are members of the Human Rights Council.
“The urgent debate will most likely be convened this week at a date and time to be determined by the bureau of the Human Rights Council that is meeting today.”
The move comes amid reports of increasing incidents of religious intolerance and hate crimes, particularly involving desecration of the Quran, the holy book of Islam, in several European and other countries. The issue has drawn global attention and condemnation, and is raising concerns over religious freedoms and societal harmony.
By calling for this urgent debate, Pakistan and other OIC members are seeking to bring international attention to this issue, calling for increased vigilance, protection of religious rights, and condemnation of acts that stoke religious hatred.
The most recent incident of desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden has sparked outrage and condemnation from around the world.
As part of the planned activities, nationwide protest rallies will be held across Pakistan on Friday, July 7, to express solidarity and condemn the incident.