The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called for limits to freedom of speech and expression, castigating “merchants of chaos” and “provocateurs.” The remarks came during a two-day session on “countering religious hatred constituting incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence” – actually an urgent meeting called by the body on behalf of Pakistan over a recent spate of Qur’an burnings in Europe.
The resolution was passed 28-12. Freedom loving countries, including the U.S., voted against it.
Breitbart (h/t Nita) The Human Rights Council characterised Türk’s comments as a “call for respect” when he warned that too much free speech was causing problems and should be curbed.
“Advocacy of hatred that constitutes incitement to violence, discrimination and hostility should be prohibited in every state,” Turk said, claiming that Qur’an burnings “target … deepest values and beliefs”.
Even while advocating for limiting freedom of speech, the UN boss warned that laws limiting speech are “often misused” by authoritarian governments — an ironic enough statement, perhaps, given the clear majority of U.N. Human Rights Council members are dictatorships.
Türk said:
Many societies are struggling with this weaponisation of religious differences for political purposes. We must not allow ourselves to be reeled in and become and become instrumentalised by these merchants of chaos for political gain. These provocateurs who deliberately seek ways to divide us.
I am immensely sympathetic to the millions of people who are offended and outraged by acts that target their deepest values and beliefs… we must commit to advancing greater tolerance, greater respect, and greater recognition of the importance and value of our differences.
Other contributors were less magnanimous. The spokesman for Pakistan, for whom the meeting was convened, said:
…the deliberate desecration of the holy Qur’an has continued under government sanction and with a sense of impunity. Increasingly these acts are designed to maximise provocation. We must see this for what it really is, incitement to religious hatred, discrimination, and attempts to provoke violence.
… the holy Qur’an is a spiritual anchor for two billion Muslims. It is inseparable from their sense of identity and dignity. It is important to understand the deep hurt that a public and premeditated act of the Qur’an’s desecration calls Muslims… our vigour to protect free speech must not lose sight of the imperative to reject hate speech.
Pakistan has been working on establishing global rules on blasphemy for years, and these efforts have often focussed on using the United Nations to further that goal. The plan, then-Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said in 2018, was to “prevent people using freedom of speech as a cover for hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims around the world”.
Pakistan was joined by Saudi Arabia at the U.N. this week, whose representative said:
…we strongly condemn what extremists did, burning copies of the holy Qur’an. These acts cannot be justified as they are incitement for discrimination and hatred… the recurrence of burning the holy Qur’an this year is concerning and we heard international condemnation and international organisations to end these acts which provoke the feelings of people, and that incite to hatred and violence, and effect the freedom of opinion and expression.
While the burning of the book as a form of protest – like the publication of cartoons of the Islamic prophet Mohammad – has occurred in Europe for many years, the act has taken on new significance in recent months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia’s surge in aggression towards neighbours prompted traditionally neutral Sweden to apply to join NATO, an application any present member can veto.
This in turn gave Turkey, which has longstanding diplomatic disagreements with Sweden over its giving political refuge to individuals considered terrorists by Ankara, to air grievances and demand changes in exchange for dropping its objections to the NATO bid. One of those demands was Sweden introducing de facto blasphemy laws to prosecute Qur’an burners.
In honor of quran burners everywhere:
Charles Martel says
India among the Yes, what a shame. Seems like India has no regard for free speech.
Conrad Calvano says
@CM: I believe it is election year in India and President Modi does not wish to lose the few votes he may get from the so called secular Muslims!
Easterndmondbk says
But burning the Bible is OK. Yeah, that’s disgusting.
Conrad Calvano says
I wonder what it would take to get the UN to move out of the US and into someplace more appropriate. Perhaps Saudi Arabia, or even China. Their presence adds zero value to our nation, and is actually a hindrance when we want to do what is in our own interest.
US infidel says
Was wondering if it was ok to use pages out of the koran for butt wipe. bet it comes in 2 ply
Tim h says
So it’s OK for the scumbag lowlife wanker poo on your boots Muslims to burn down churches and nothing is said about that. Well they can go fuck themselves. Boo hooing coz they can not own way
The Rationalist says
If the United Nations High Commission has a resolution against Koran burning, it is only fair for the UN to pass a resolution against Bible burning; that effects two religions: Judaism and Christianity. After all, Muslims burn Bibles. churches, synagogues. The UN also needs to pass a resolution against church burning and synagogue burning, Hindu temple burning, Buddhist temple burning, and any other Non Muslim holy building, which are mainly done by Muslims.
BareNakedIslam says
Yeah, I can see that happening when:
BLR says
yes that is true as witnessed , death threats hacked slandered all faced down by a freedom fighter female american jew , defender of the first amendment who walks the walk and talks the talk of a Patriot
BareNakedIslam says
😘
The Tasmanian Devil says
What the UN adopts, rules, votes or passes means less to me than the trail a dung beetle leaves as it crawls through the dirt.
The UN has become a gaggle of Afro/Muslim naysayers bent on the destruction of the West.
It is as irrelevant as a single grain of sand in the desert.
Pray Hard says
Enormous middle finger to the UN.
GFWSR says
Got a match?
Who Cares says
No problem, I will just go to plan B and use the Quran as my go too replacement for toilet paper, only hope it comes in 2 ply.
Ghulam says
That’s cute. Even Pakistan has a say in world affairs.
Cuter.
Charles Martel says
Pakistan is an extremist, biased, and terrorist Islamic state which wants to enforce Islamic ideology on the whole world.
Dino says
Absolutely disgusting, United Nations name change in 1945 developed during WW2 has served no purpose since WW2.These lardass useless idiots spewing the same drivel as the elites. The UN is nothing more than another political paradise for fatass brown nosers holding their butter soft hands out while they laugh in your tax paying faces, so now they need to weigh in on the burning of a book.. ..From countries being overrun and decimated by the cult of this book. Maybe time for another name change for the UN?..It has been almost 80 years since the last name change. How about UUU, United Useless Unit?..
BareNakedIslam says
When Donald Trump gets re-elected in 2024, he should evict the UN and turn the property into a park.
Catweasel says
If the police in Sweden would start throwing lead back at every one of the assholes who throws rocks or something at them, they’d have this problem solved straight away….
David says
The UN Human Rights Council run by the asylum inmates is as effective as saying theQuran is the word of God! Burning a book isn’t any form of hatred. It’s the response of the followers, rioting burning and killing that is the hatred.
yuogg says
I mean who gives a shit that law has been de facto in place for ages all over the west even if western laws protect freedom of speech, mob woke society will cancel harass anyone daring to speak against this shit (literal) and governmens won’t do anything about it they would actually encourage fear for safety tactics, and stop bitching about other countries caving in to Islamic anti blasphemy laws , they’re their countries don’t like it don’t visit it , how about you care about those who are already designated as terrorists with in your country and still roam freely saying all the bullshit they want travel everywhere without a single one arresting their asses.
I mean it is strictly illegal to harbor terrorist ideology everywhere , fuckin coward world
not even Russia does it , because racism sensitivity bullshit and as long as qadirov is backing Putin he won’t care
BareNakedIslam says
I’ve managed to survive the “woke” mob for 15 years, despite their many efforts to take me down.