UN rights body condemns Quran desecration, Western states oppose resolution

The UN's top human rights body has overwhelmingly approved a measure calling on countries to do more to prevent religious hatred in the wake of Quran burnings in Europe, over the objections of Western countries who fear tougher steps by governments could trample freedom of expression.

Applause broke out in the cavernous chamber of the Human Rights Council on Wednesday after the 28-12 vote, with seven abstentions, on a measure brought by Pakistan and Palestine that was backed by many developing countries in Africa, as well as China and India, and Middle Eastern countries.

After the vote, Ambassador Khalil Hashmi of Pakistan insisted the measure "does not seek to curtail the right to free speech,” but tries to strike a "prudent balance" between it and "special duties and responsibilities."

"The opposition of a few in the room has emanated from their unwillingness to condemn the public desecration of the Holy Quran or any other religious book," Hashmi said.

"They lack political, legal and moral courage to condemn this act, and it was the minimum that the council could have expected from them.”

Western countries oppose resolution

Countries that voted in favour of the resolution included Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Cameroon, China, Ivory Coast, Cuba, Eritrea, Gabon, Gambia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Morocco, Pakistan, Qatar, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.

Belgium, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Romania, the UK, and the US voted against the resolution.

Türkiye does not have the right to vote, as it has observer status at the UN Human Rights Council.

Also, the UK, US and some European Union member countries rejected condemning the burning of the Quran during an urgent debate on Tuesday at the UN Human Rights Council over the rising number of attacks against the Muslim holy book.

The resolution comes in the wake of recent Quran burning in Sweden, and among other things, calls on countries to take steps to "prevent and prosecute acts and advocacy of religious hatred that constitute incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence."