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A/RES/55/97EliminationofallformsofreligiousintoleranceUNDocuments:Gatheringabodyofglobalagreements

UnitedNations

GeneralAssembly

A/RES/55/97
Distr:General
4December2000

Fiftyfifthsession
Agendaitem114b

ResolutionadoptedbytheGeneralAssembly

55/97.Eliminationofallformsofreligiousintolerance
TheGeneralAssembly,
RecallingthatallStateshavepledgedthemselves,undertheCharteroftheUnited
Nations,topromoteandencourageuniversalrespectforandobservanceofhumanrights
andfundamentalfreedomsforallwithoutdistinctionastorace,sex,languageorreligion,
Reaffirmingthatdiscriminationagainsthumanbeingsonthegroundsofreligionor
beliefconstitutesanaffronttohumandignityandadisavowaloftheprinciplesofthe
Charter,
Recallingarticle18oftheUniversalDeclarationofHumanRights,/1andarticle18of
theInternationalCovenantonCivilandPoliticalRights,/2
Reaffirmingitsresolution36/55of25November1981,bywhichitproclaimedthe
DeclarationontheEliminationofAllFormsofIntoleranceandofDiscriminationBased
onReligionorBelief,andtheUnitedNationsMillenniumDeclaration,/3inparticular
paragraph4thereof,
Emphasizingthattherighttofreedomofthought,conscience,religionandbeliefisfar
reachingandprofoundandthatitencompassesfreedomofthoughtonallmatters,
personalconvictionandthecommitmenttoreligionorbelief,whethermanifested
individuallyorincommunitywithothers,andinpublicorprivate,
ReaffirmingthecalloftheWorldConferenceonHumanRights,heldatViennafrom14
to25June1993,forallGovernmentstotakeallappropriatemeasuresincompliancewith
theirinternationalobligationsandwithdueregardtotheirrespectivelegalsystemsto
counterintoleranceandrelatedviolencebasedonreligionorbelief,includingpracticesof
discriminationagainstwomenandthedesecrationofreligioussites,recognizingthat
everyindividualhastherighttofreedomofthought,conscience,expressionand
religion,/4
CallinguponallGovernmentstocooperatewiththeSpecialRapporteurofthe
CommissiononHumanRightsonreligiousintolerancetoenablehimtocarryouthis
mandatefully,
Alarmedthatseriousinstancesofintoleranceanddiscriminationonthegroundsof
religionorbelief,includingactsofviolence,intimidationandcoercionmotivatedby
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religiousintolerance,occurinmanypartsoftheworldandthreatentheenjoymentof
humanrightsandfundamentalfreedoms,
Deeplyconcernedthat,asreportedbytheSpecialRapporteur,therightsviolatedon
religiousgroundsincludetherighttolife,therighttophysicalintegrityandtolibertyand
securityofperson,therighttofreedomofexpression,therightnottobesubjectedto
tortureorothercruel,inhumanordegradingtreatmentorpunishmentandtherightnot
tobearbitrarilyarrestedordetained,/5
Believingthatfurthereffortsarethereforerequiredtopromoteandprotecttherightto
freedomofthought,conscience,religionandbeliefandtoeliminateallformsofhatred,
intoleranceanddiscriminationbasedonreligionorbelief,
1. Reaffirmsthatfreedomofthought,conscience,religionandbeliefisahumanright
derivedfromtheinherentdignityofthehumanpersonandguaranteedtoallwithout
discrimination
2. UrgesStatestoensurethattheirconstitutionalandlegalsystemsprovideeffective
guaranteesoffreedomofthought,conscience,religionandbelief,includingtheprovision
ofeffectiveremediesincasesinwhichtherighttofreedomofreligionorbeliefisviolated
3. AlsourgesStatestoensure,inparticular,thatnoonewithintheirjurisdictionis,
becauseofhisorherreligionorbelief,deprivedoftherighttolifeortherighttolibertyand
securityofperson,orsubjectedtotortureorarbitraryarrestordetention
4. FurtherurgesStates,inconformitywithinternationalstandardsofhumanrights,
totakeallnecessaryactiontopreventsuchinstances,totakeallappropriatemeasuresto
combathatred,intoleranceandactsofviolence,intimidationandcoercionmotivatedby
religiousintoleranceandtoencourage,throughtheeducationalsystemandbyother
means,understanding,toleranceandrespectinmattersrelatingtofreedomofreligionor
belief
5. Emphasizesthat,asunderlinedbytheHumanRightsCommittee,restrictionson
thefreedomtomanifestreligionorbeliefarepermittedonlyifthoselimitationsthatare
prescribedbylawarenecessarytoprotectpublicsafety,order,healthormorals,orthe
fundamentalrightsandfreedomsofothers,andareappliedinamannerthatdoesnot
vitiatetherighttofreedomofthought,conscienceandreligion
6. UrgesStatestoensurethat,inthecourseoftheirofficialduties,membersoflaw
enforcementbodies,civilservants,educatorsandotherpublicofficialsrespectdifferent
religionsandbeliefsanddonotdiscriminateagainstpersonsprofessingotherreligionsor
beliefs
7. CallsuponallStatestorecognize,asprovidedforintheDeclarationonthe
EliminationofAllFormsofIntoleranceandofDiscriminationBasedonReligionor
Belief,/6therightofallpersonstoworshiporassembleinconnectionwithareligionor
beliefandtoestablishandmaintainplacesforthosepurposes
8. Expressesitsgraveconcernatanyattackuponreligiousplaces,sitesandshrines,
andcallsuponallStates,inaccordancewiththeirnationallegislationandinconformity
withinternationalhumanrightsstandards,toexerttheirutmosteffortstoensurethat
suchplaces,sitesandshrinesarefullyrespectedandprotected
9. Recognizesthatlegislationaloneisnotenoughtopreventviolationsofhuman
rights,includingtherighttofreedomofreligionorbelief,andthattheexerciseof
toleranceandnondiscriminationbypersonsandgroupsisnecessaryforthefull
realizationoftheaimsoftheDeclaration
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10. TakesnotewithappreciationoftheinterimreportoftheSpecialRapporteurofthe
CommissiononHumanRightsonreligiousintolerance,/7andencouragescontinued
effortsonthepartoftheSpecialRapporteur,whowasappointedtoexamineincidentsand
governmentalactionsinallpartsoftheworldthatareincompatiblewiththeprovisionsof
theDeclarationandtorecommendremedialmeasures,asappropriate
11. WelcomesthedecisionoftheCommissiononHumanRightsinresolution
2000/33of20April2000/8tochangethetitleoftheSpecialRapporteurfromSpecial
RapporteuronreligiousintolerancetoSpecialRapporteuronfreedomofreligionor
belief
12. TakesnoteofthestudypresentedbytheSpecialRapporteurtothePreparatory
CommitteefortheWorldConferenceagainstRacism,RacialDiscrimination,Xenophobia
andRelatedIntoleranceatitsfirstsession,andencouragestheSpecialRapporteurto
continuetocontributetothepreparationsfortheConference,whichistobeheldat
Durban,SouthAfrica,in2001,onmattersrelatingtoreligiousintolerancethathavea
bearingontheWorldConference
13. EncouragesGovernmentstogiveseriousconsiderationtoinvitingtheSpecial
Rapporteurtovisittheircountriessoastoenablehimtofulfilhismandateevenmore
effectively
14. WelcomestheinitiativesofGovernmentsandnongovernmentalorganizationsto
collaboratewiththeSpecialRapporteur,includingbytheconveningofaninternational
consultativeconferenceonschooleducationinrelationtofreedomofreligionandbelief,
toleranceandnondiscrimination,tobeheldatMadridinNovember2001,and
encouragesGovernments,nongovernmentalorganizationsandotherinterestedparties
toparticipateactivelyinthatconference
15. EncouragesGovernments,whenseekingtheassistanceoftheUnitedNations
ProgrammeofAdvisoryServicesandTechnicalAssistanceintheFieldofHumanRights,
toconsider,whereappropriate,includingrequestsforassistanceforthepromotionand
protectionoftherighttofreedomofthought,conscienceandreligion
16. Welcomesandencouragesthecontinuingeffortsofnongovernmental
organizationsandreligiousbodiesandgroupstopromotetheimplementationand
disseminationoftheDeclaration,andencouragestheirworkinpromotingfreedomof
religionorbeliefandinhighlightingcasesofreligiousintolerance,discriminationand
persecution
17. RequeststheCommissiononHumanRightstocontinueitsconsiderationof
measuresfortheimplementationoftheDeclaration
18. RequeststheSpecialRapporteurtosubmitaninterimreporttotheGeneral
Assemblyatitsfiftysixthsession
19. RequeststheSecretaryGeneraltoensurethattheSpecialRapporteurreceivesthe
resourcesnecessarytoenablehimtodischargehismandatefully
20. Decidestoconsiderthequestionoftheeliminationofallformsofreligious
intoleranceatitsfiftysixthsessionundertheitementitled"Humanrightsquestions".
81stplenarymeeting
4December2000

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1Resolution217A(III).
2Seeresolution2200A(XXI),annex.
3Seeresolution55/2.
4A/CONF.157/24(PartI),chap.III,sect.II,para.22.
5E/CN.4/1994/79,para.103.
6Seeresolution36/55.
7SeeA/55/280andAdd.1and2.
8OfficialRecordsoftheEconomicandSocialCouncil,2000,SupplementNo.3and
corrigendum(E/2000/23andCorr.1),chap.II.,sect.A.

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