At the 53rd Ordinary Session of the Human Rights Council, Monsignor Butcher, UN in charge of affairs in Geneva, speaks about the rise of premeditated and public acts of incitement to religious hatred. Concern over Koran burning in Sweden at the end of June: “The meaning of Eid al-Adha is also being denigrated. Don’t abuse the “gift of freedom of expression”: this is how “hate, intolerance and violence” are fed.”
Salvatore Cernuzio – Vatican City
A condemnation was expressed “in the strongest terms” against “desecration, destruction or disrespect of religious objects, symbols and places of worship”. At the 53rd Ordinary Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Monsignor David Butcher, Permanent Envoy of the Holy See, intervened in a debate on the alarming rise in premeditated and public acts of religious hatred. In some European countries and beyond it was expressed through the contempt of the Qur’anic periodical.
In particular, the latest episode in Sweden was in late June, when a protester of Iraqi origin set fire to Islam’s holy book in front of the Medborgarplatz mosque in Stockholm. The three days of ‘Al-Adha’, one of the most important celebrations in the Muslim world. The gesture caused a lot of controversy and protests around the world.
Pope Francis himself addressed the matter in an interview with the United Arab Emirates’ Al-Ittihad newspaper, in which he said: “I feel angry and disgusted by these actions”. “Any book held sacred by the people – and by the papacy – should be respected out of respect for its faithful, and freedom of expression should not be used as an excuse for looking down on others, the sanction of which should be rejected and condemned.
Attacks on the dignity of believers
In addition to his condemnation, the Holy See also expressed his concern, recalling precisely the words of the Vatican’s representative to the UN in Geneva: “The recent burning of the Koran on the first day of the Muslim festival of Eid. Al-Adha is particularly disturbing because the significance of that holy day has also been denigrated,” he said. .
“Religious faith – Butcher added – is an expression of man’s search for truth, meaning and purpose in life. Therefore, deliberately insulting religious beliefs, traditions or sacred objects constitutes an attack on the human dignity of believers.
Abuse of the gift of freedom of expression
On the other hand, according to the person in charge of affairs, there needs to be greater awareness of the fact that “unscrupulous actors often commit acts of religious intolerance, abuse the precious gift of freedom of expression, and provoke a disproportionate reaction.” Therefore, they feed “hate, intolerance and violence” in a world already marked by wars and conflicts, where – as the Pope says again and again – fraternity is needed, a balm for the wounds of these times.