'Defamation of religion' not racism: UN experts

by Robert Evans
National Post
April 22, 2009

http://www.legal-project.org/article/297

Excerpt:

GENEVA -- Three key United Nations human rights investigators challenged on Wednesday the idea promoted by Islamic countries that "defamation of religion" is racism and should be internationally banned.

In a statement at the UN's controversy-dogged Durban II conference on race and discrimination, they said the concept -- endorsed by big majorities in the world body for the past 10 years -- was, like related blasphemy laws, open to abuse.

"Whereas some have argued that 'defamation of religions' could be equated to racism, we would like to caution against confusion between a racist statement and an act of 'defamation of religion'," they declared.

"There are numerous examples of persecution of religious minorities or dissenters, but also of atheists and non-theists, as a result of legislation on religious offences ...," added the three -- from Kenya, Pakistan and Guatemala.

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