Message to UN: Protect Religious Expression

The issue of human rights is at the center of the unrest in Egypt.  And while the world is watching closely to see how this crisis unfolds, work continues at the United Nations where our international affiliate, the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ), has submitted an important document underscoring the need to protect human rights and religious freedom around the world.

As you may know, for years now, we've provided the U.N. with the kind of expert analysis that protects the views and expressions of Christians.  In many countries, Christians face terrible persecution because of their religious expressions- often jailed, beaten, and murdered.

The fact is that freedom of expression is vital in this country and abroad - especially when it comes to expressing sincerely held religious beliefs.

The ECLJ has just filed an important document with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) at the UN - a follow-up to testimony we provided nearly three years ago when we began challenging the dangerous, anti-Christian concept known as defamation of religions.  The document provides recommendations for how the International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) should be interpreted to best preserve freedom of expression.

For several years now, the ECLJ has been opposing any attempt to limit religious expression at the U.N.

Now, the OHCHR has once again asked for input from non-governmental organizations and the ECLJ has filed a document outlining our concerns about safeguarding religious expression and how the U.N. should interpret the individual right to freedom of expression in the ICCPR. 
 
The report to the UN recommends four changes the OHCHR should employ to better preserve the right to freedom of expression under the ICCPR. 

1.  The report calls for clarity that a countrys religious laws cannot be the basis for restrictricting religious expressions that might run counter to the tenents of the official ideology.

2.  The report stresses that the OHCHR should make an affirmative statement that no right exists to protect the reputation of an ideology. 

3.  The ECLJ recommends that criminal defamation of religion laws and blasphemy laws are incompatible with international human rights. 

4.  The ECLJ called on the international body to clarify that incitement laws must be limited to malicious expressions and expressions that objectively incite imminent violence.

The ECLJ report concludes that these recommendations will ensure the free exchange of ideas, whether in peaceful debate or criticism, that preserves a free and democratic society. 

You can read the entire ECLJ report here.
 
We will continue our work in this country and abroad to ensure that the rights of Christians are protected.  We will keep you posted as this issue develops.