Muslim Foreign Ministers Call For Law Prohibiting Acts of Denigration Against Islam

Muslim foreign ministers on Friday called for laws against incitement to religious hatred as they condemned an American-made film mocking Islam that sparked deadly protests leading to loss of many lives.

Ministers from the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) said that freedom of expression had to be used responsibly.

They therefore called on governments around the world to take all appropriate measures, including necessary legislation against acts that lead to incitement to hatred, discrimination and violence based on religion.

OIC foreign ministers met while at the UN General Assembly, where the Internet film, “Innocence of Muslims” has been widely condemned, along with the death of four US diplomats killed during the protests that went violent.

In a statement, the ministers condemned “intolerance, discrimination, profiling, negative stereotyping, stigmatization, religious hatred and violence against Muslims, as well as denigration of their religion”. All these they said were caused by the release of the film and cartoons of Prophet Mohammad [PBUH].

According to the statement released, the ministers also said; “These ‘Islamophobic’ acts stand in violation of the freedom of religion and belief, guaranteed by international human rights instruments, and have deeply offended” Muslims around the world.

“We acknowledge the importance of freedom of expression, but at the same time stress the need to ensure that this freedom should be exercised by all with responsibility and in accordance with the relevant international human rights laws.”

They therefore called for “global awareness about the dangerous implications of incitement to religious hatred, discrimination and violence.”

The alleged maker of the video, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, was arrested and detained without bond on Thursday in Los Angeles for breaching the terms of his probation for a 2010 banking fraud conviction.

US President Barack Obama condemned the film but made an impassioned plea for freedom of speech at the UN summit. Several Muslim ministers have called for international legislation to prevent religious attacks.

“The alarming increase in the number of acts that defame religions and thereby people who adhere to such religions, have now serious implications for international peace and security,” Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said.

The “time has come to establish denigration of all religions and their followers as a hate crime. We have to take swift measures,” he added.

Source: AFP

6 COMMENTS

  1. How about a global ban on islam, since they only produce illiterate, ignorant, homophobe, antiwomen terrorists. I would vote to ban it. The Christian and other religions gave up religious violent centuries ago. These savages are still waging war against the world. What other religion today is against the world? islam. No one else. Let’s have a global ban on islam.

  2. Why shd a law b made cos of this issue? Muslims shd grow up.People everyday write rubbish abt christianity and Jesus and no one gets killed for it…A religion dat preaches peace but for one day can’t practice it,no tolerance for oda religions either…just knw dat one day d people u push will push back!
    Make dem comot for rd abeg..mscheeew,nonsense.

  3. I think tthis man who is calling for this law shouldbbe taking to rehabilitation Centre, Islam country who are wildly know for their Devilish religion and the killing of Innocent lives should be wipe away on this surface of The earth, because devil has succeeded in Using Muhammad to lead them to a Terrorist pathway(Hell), because they all. Want to kill innocent soul to enjoy a false Virgin. #BASTARD#