Coordenador do Grupo de Pesquisa "Direito e Religião" é palestrante convidado na sede da ONU em Genebra

Sala do Conselho de Direitos Humanos da ONU em Genebra

O Professor Rodrigo Vitorino Souza Alves, da Faculdade de Direito da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, participou como palestrante convidado no Fórum das Nações Unidas sobre Questões de Minorias, ocorrido na sede da ONU em Genebra, Suíça nos dias 26 e 27 de novembro.

O tema do Fórum foi a proteção dos direitos das minorias religiosas, e contou com a presença de mais de 500 participantes de todas as regiões do mundo, incluindo delegados das missões permanentes, pesquisadores, representantes de organizações não-governamentais e de minorias.

No primeiro dia do Fórum, discutiu-se os standards e princípios existentes nos sistemas internacionais de proteção dos direitos humanos, bem como as medidas que os Estados e outros atores podem tomar para prevenir tensões e atos de agressão ou violência contra as minorias religiosas e seus lugares de adoração e reunião. No segundo dia, foram enfrentadas questões relativas à efetividade das práticas destinadas a assegurar a proteção da identidade das minorias religiosas e à necessidade da promoção de um diálogo inter-religioso construtivo.

O professor participou também de uma sessão privada no dia 25 de novembro, em que foram debatidas as Recomendações sobre a Garantia dos Direitos das Minorias Religiosas (Documento A/HRC/FMI/2013/3), que será apresentado, juntamente com as conclusões do Fórum, ao Conselho de Direitos Humanos da ONU em março de 2014.

O Professor Rodrigo Vitorino é coordenador do Grupo de Pesquisa “Direito e Religião” (www.direitoereligiao.org) e membro do International Consortium for Law and Religion Studies – ICLARS.

Para maiores informações sobre o Fórum, clique aqui.

Publicação oficial: UFU e FADIR.

John Witte Jr Lecture - "Separation of Church and State: There is No Wall"

CSLR Director John Witte advocated what he calls "an integrative theory of the First Amendment" that balances separation of church and state with the freedom of both private and public expressions of religion. He outlined five distinct understandings of church-state separation taught by the American founders and offered his views of how contemporary officials and judges are both adhering to or rejecting these original understandings, for better or worse.

Source: Emory School of Law.

Is Europe Joining the International Religious Freedom Bandwagon?

Growing international threats to religious freedom are coming under increasing scrutiny by Western democracies. Long a foreign policy emphasis in the United States, and more recently in Canada, the crisis in international religious freedom (IRF) is gaining greater attention in Europe, especially in Italy and the United Kingdom. Can these nations be effective in promoting international religious freedom? Will their own domestic struggles with religious freedom handicap their efforts abroad?

Pasquale Annicchino, a fellow at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute and at the University of Salerno, discussed recent developments in IRF promotion by Italy and the EU. David Reeves Taylor, chairman of Christian Solidarity Worldwide and a former British diplomat, addressed recent developments in IRF promotion by the UK. The Religious Freedom Project's Thomas Farr moderated.

Featuring

Pasquale Annicchino is a research fellow at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, a fellow in constitutional law and comparative constitutional law at the Department of Political Science of the University of Salerno, and a member of the European University Institute’s Ethics Committee. Annicchino serves as book review editor for Religion and Human Rights: An International Journal and is a member of the editorial board of Quaderni di Diritto e Politica Ecclesiastica, published by Il Mulino. He has written on law, religion and religious freedom in Europe, and is a member of the ReligioWest project. This project studies how different Western states in Europe and North America are redefining their relationship to religions, under the challenge of increasing religious activism in the public sphere, associated with new religious movements and with Islam. Annicchino received his doctorate in law from the University of Siena, his LL.M/D.E.A. from the European Academy of Legal Theory in Brussels, and an LL.M from University College London, where he also served as editor in chief of the UCL Human Rights Review.

David Taylor is an international affairs analyst with a particular focus on the Middle East. He spent 17 years in the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, most of it focused on the Middle East and North Africa. He then spent 14 years as Middle East editor and deputy editor of the Daily Brief at Oxford Analytica. He now divides his time between editorial work for Oxford Analytica, the Lausanne Movement and other clients, and working with Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), the Religious Liberty Partnership and other NGOs on international religious freedom issues.

Source: The Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University.

EU Guidelines on freedom of religion or belief (2013)

The Council of the European Union adopted in 24 June 2013 a set of Guidelines in the area of human rights of paramount importance: EU Guidelines on the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief (FORB). It is a part of the set of nine other guidelines the EU has on the death penalty, torture, children in armed conflict, human rights defenders, rights of the child, violence against women, promotion of international humanitarian law, human rights dialogues with third countries and LGBTI rights.

In the EU Guidelines on the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief (FORB), the EU reiterates the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief as a fundamental right of every human being. The EU Guidelines underlines the right of all persons to manifest their religion or belief either individually or in community with others - persons who change or leave their religion or belief, as well as persons holding non-theistic or atheistic beliefs should be equally protected, as well as people who do not profess any religion or belief.

In line with universal and European human rights standards, the EU and its Member States are committed to respecting, protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief within their borders. With these Guidelines, the EU also reaffirms its determination to promote in its external human rights policy, freedom of religion or belief as a right to be exercised by everyone everywhere. The Guidelines explain what the international human rights standards on FORB are and they give clear political lines to officials of EU institutions and EU Member States. They also provide officials with practical guidance on how to seek to prevent violations of FORB in order to promote and protect freedom of religion or belief in the EU's external action. EU missions (EU Delegations and Member States Embassies and Consulates) play a key role in an early warning system, they will monitor respect for freedom of religion or belief and identify and report on situations of concern in third countries. The EU will raise freedom of religion or belief in appropriate high-level contacts and will encourage partner countries and regional organisations in political dialogues to accede to and implement relevant international instruments. The EU is furthermore committed to ensure that FORB remains prominently on the UN agenda and it will further strengthen its cooperation with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Special Rapporteur on FORB.

Background

When the EU launched the Common Foreign and Security Policy ten years ago, it placed Human Rights at the heart of this policy. This stemmed from our conviction that respecting and promoting the rule of law as well as fundamental rights and freedoms not only defines the EU but is also in our interest. The European Security Strategy, adopted in 2003 and reviewed in 2008, states clearly that “spreading good governance, supporting social and political reform, dealing with corruption and abuse of power, establishing the rule of law and protecting human rights are the best means of strengthening the international order." An integral part of our Human Rights Policy is a series of Guidelines on issues of importance to the Union. These Guidelines are practical tools to help EU representations in the field better advance our policy.

Read the Guidelines here.

Source: EU Delegation to the UN and other international organisations in Geneva.

MPF realiza audiência pública para debater liberdade religiosa

Evento acontece no dia 6 de dezembro, das 9h às 15h

O Ministério Público Federal (MPF) no Rio de Janeiro realiza no dia 6 de dezembro a audiência pública "Liberdade religiosa: o papel e os limites do Estado e dos meios de comunicação". O objetivo do evento é debater a função do poder público e dos meios de comunicação para garantia da liberdade de consciência e pensamento e da inviolabilidade de crença religiosa.

A audiência visa também discutir a atuação do Estado e da sociedade em face de eventuais manifestações de intolerância religiosa, além de ouvir a população e os meios de comunicação para colher informações úteis para prosseguimento de inquéritos e procedimentos do MPF.

Confira o edital aqui.

O evento será realizado das 9h às 15h, no auditório da sede da Procuradoria da República no estado do Rio de Janeiro (Av. Nilo Peçanha, nº 31, 6º andar, Centro).

Contato:

Assessoria de Comunicação Social - Procuradoria da República no Estado do Rio de Janeiro

Tels.: (21) 3971-9488/9460

11th ISORECEA conference: RELIGIOUS DIVERSIFICATION WORLDWIDE AND IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

ISORECEA in cooperation with Vytautas Magnus University and Lithuanian Society for the Study of Religions 

CALL FOR PAPERS 

11th  ISORECEA conference 

RELIGIOUS DIVERSIFICATION WORLDWIDE AND IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE 

Kaunas, Lithuania, April 24-27, 2014 

For a long time the secularization thesis dominated the field of studies of religions in contemporary societies. Many definitions and even more explanations of the process of secularization in contemporary societies led scholars of religions to search for new theoretical insights about the rapidly changing global social situation. Opponents of this paradigm claim that we are witnessing growing religious vitality at religious market or change in religion itself – here we find the privatization thesis, precarious religion or religious bricolage. Independently of how we approach it from theoretical perspective religious diversification is the process that is evident in the majority of contemporary societies. It is manifested through numerous religious traditions and new emerging religious communities not only within the religious traditions, but also at the individual level, as well as by the increasing number of non-believers and non-adherents, etc. 

In many cases Central and Eastern European societies have been analyzed as places where the monopoly of scientific atheism was replaced by the monopolies of national churches. But after more than twenty years of the post-communist period, religious diversification processes within these societies is visibly emerging, despite the fact that the dominance of the so-called national churches is still obvious. 

How do worldwide and CEE societies adapt to religious diversification? How do religious communities approach the diversification of religion? How do states react towards the changing situation? How do worldwide and CEE societies differ from each other in relation to religious diversification? 

We would like to approach these questions in the forthcoming international conference and to encourage scholars from various parts of the world to share their theoretical and empirical insights about religious diversification. 

In this conference we also invite discussion of the following topics:

 Religious diversification and Church and State relations; 

 Religious tolerance and discrimination; 

 Religious minorities and majorities; 

 Religious diversification and human rights; 

 Religious diversification and social participation; 

 Religious diversification and social exclusion; 

 Religious diversification and media; 

 Religiosity or Spirituality – within or outside religious institutions.

Please submit a 250-300 words abstract of your presentation by e-mail to:  isorecea2014@smf.vdu.lt by November 15, 2013.

If you are interested in another topic related to the study of religion in the CEE or worldwide, we encourage you to organize a session/panel. In this case, please submit a 200-300 words proposal by November 15, 2013 to the same email address. 

Key dates 

Submission of paper and session/panel proposals – November 15, 2013 

Notification of acceptance and opening of the registration – December 15, 2013 

The final date of the registration for the conference – January 31, 2014 

Final program – February 20, 2014 

More information at: http://www.isorecea.net.

Seminario Internacional de Profesores: NEUTRALIDAD DEL ESTADO, RELIGIONES E IDEOLOGÍAS

NEUTRALIDAD DEL ESTADO, RELIGIONES E IDEOLOGÍAS

Jueves 21 de noviembre de 2013
Sala de Juntas de la Facultad de Derecho
Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Programa

10:30 Inauguración del Seminario: Prof. Dr. Ricardo García García (Subdirector General de Relaciones con las Confesiones Religiosas, Ministerio de Justicia)

10:45 Mesa Redonda. Moderadora: Prof. Dra. Gloria Moreno Botella (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid)

Prof. Dr. Silvio Ferrari (Universitá degli Studi di Milano): E' possibile costruire uno spazio pubblico equo ed inclusivo?
Prof. Dr. Nicola Colaianni (Università degli Studi di Bari): I simboli religiosi dopo Strasburgo: il rimedio della mediazione
Prof. Dr. Alejandro Torres Gutiérrez (Universidad Pública de Navarra): Neutralidad ideológico-religiosa en Portugal: Estudio del nuevo marco jurídico legal portugués
Prof. Dra. Beatriz González Moreno (Universidad de Vigo):Pluralismo y neutralidad: la cultura laica y la razón religiosa

11:45 Coloquio

12:30 Mesa Redonda. Moderadora Prof. Dra. Silvia Meseguer Velasco (Universidad Complutense)

Prof. Dr. Javier Ferrer Ortiz (Universidad de Zaragoza): Símbolos, religión y cultura
Prof. Dra. María José Ciáurriz (Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia): Lugares públicos y libertad religiosa
Prof. Dr. Daniel Tirapu Martínez (Universidad de Jaén): Derecho eclesiástico y algunas cuestiones de derecho sucesorio en el Código de Derecho civil español
Prof. Dr. Isabel Aldanondo Salaverria (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid): Neutralidad ideológico-religiosa en el ámbito del Patrimonio Cultural de las Confesiones Religiosas

13:30 Coloquio

14:00 Clausura: Prof. Dr. Santiago Cañamares Arribas (Coordinador de los Seminarios del Departamento de Derecho Eclesiástico del Estado)

Organizan:

- Departamento de Derecho Eclesiástico del Estado, UCM
- Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Proyecto de investigación DER2011-29385
- Revista General de Derecho Canónico y Derecho Eclesiástico del Estado

Article 18: An Orphaned Right - A Report by the APPG on International Religious Freedom

About the APPG on International Religious Freedom

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on International Religious Freedom was established in July 2012 with the following purpose: “To raise awareness and profile of international religious freedom as a human right amongst parliamentarians, media, government and the general public in the UK; and to increase effectiveness and awareness of the UK’s contribution to international institutions charged with enforcing this human right.”

THE REPORT - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Centrality of Article 18

Article 18 UDHR remains the benchmark against which the enjoyment of the freedom of religion or belief should be measured. Although there is also a considerable range of normative and institutional activity focussing on freedom of religion or belief, as well as unilateral and multilateral state initiatives which parallel or supplement this activity, the primary contention of this report is that when considered against the standard set by Article 18, freedom of religion or belief is not currently being protected internationally as it ought.

No treaty

Unlike many other human rights, there is as yet no focussed United Nations (UN) Convention directly addressing the subject of freedom of religion or belief. In consequence, freedom of religion or belief has for many years been something of a “residual” right, only protected to the extent that it does not stand in the way of achieving some other goal or ambition. While the UN Vienna Declaration of 1993 asserts that all human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent and inter-related, in practice within the family of human rights this freedom remains on the margins. It is in this respect an orphaned right, and the purpose of this report is to commence a process of reuniting this right with its family.

What Article 18 promises

Article 18 states that freedom of religion or belief is a fundamental right which may not be derogated from, even in times of public emergency. It protects traditional, non-traditional and new religious beliefs and practices, as well as numerous beliefs not associated with divine or transcendent powers, or not of a religious nature. Everyone has the freedom to manifest their religion or belief, either alone or together with others, publicly or privately. Nobody is to be subject to coercion that would impair the individual’s freedom to have or adopt a religion or belief of their choice, nor is discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief permissible.

The reality

However, as this report explains, almost 75% of the world’s population live in countries with high levels of government restrictions on freedom of religion or belief, or where they face high-level hostility due to their religious affiliations, and this figure is rising. Across the globe there is widespread denial of freedom of worship, and of freedom to teach, promote and publicly express one’s religion or belief.

This report instances examples of state intimidation, discrimination and violence towards people on account of their religion or belief, as well as situations where states do not offer adequate protection from persecution by non-state actors. This is not limited to any one region, or any one form of religion. Through evidence submissions and other means, the group is aware of a deeply troubling scale of violation of freedom of religion or belief worldwide. This catalogue of abuse covers Shia Muslims in Bahrain, Baha’is and Zoroastrians in Iran, Christians across large swathes of the Middle East, Sufi muslims from the Sunni tradition in Somalia, atheists in Indonesia, Falun Gong practitioners in China, Buddhists in Tibet, Jewish people in Europe and Hindus in Pakistan — truly a global concern that affects the full range of religious and non-religious belief.

Defamation of religions

While the UN has declared that everyone has the right to freedom of religion or belief, it has done relatively little to make this a reality. Much of the work at the UN is focussed on a very different question, the so-called “defamation of religions” debate, which focuses on protecting religions — not believers — from criticism, and becomes a means of restricting rights and freedoms, rather than safeguarding them. The firm position of this report is that the focus of the UN ought to be less on when it might be appropriate to restrain rights in the name of religion, and more on encouraging and supporting international action to champion the freedom of religion or belief for all. At the same time as pursuing this goal, it is necessary to identify effective UK policy and action, and this report makes a number of recommendations in this regard.

Response of the FCO

In the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) report Human Rights and Democracy 2012, freedom of religion or belief is described as “one of the Government’s key human rights priorities”, and it outlines a strategy for promoting this freedom. The recognition that it is not only the promotion but also the protection of freedom of religion or belief that is a key priority is to be greatly welcomed — but what is now needed is further effective action. This report seeks to identify a number of practical strategies that can be adopted.

This report goes on to outline five overarching prerequisites for the construction and implementation of any successful policy on international freedom of religion or belief:

- Clear commitment from across the domestic political spectrum, based on the recognition of the central significance of the freedom of religion or belief as an essential freedom for all

- Broad-based consultation across the spectrum of religion and belief

- International action that is reflective of, and grounded in, a full respect for freedom of religion and belief in domestic policy

- International action that is focused on freedom for all people, irrespective of the nature of their religion or belief

- Grounding for all action in freedom of religion or belief as set out in the UDHR Article 18, which includes freedom for everyone to adhere to a religion or belief of their choice, including the right not to have, or to be associated with, a religion or belief, the right to change religion or belief and the right to manifest religion or belief in accordance with the Universal Declaration and as subsequently developed under international law, in a manner that is respectful of the human rights of other individuals

Against that background, this report makes a number of detailed recommendations, but has identified the following as a matter of priority:

Recommendation One

We ask that the British Government consider the appointment of an Ambassadorial-level focal point on freedom of religion or belief, to spearhead the implementation of mainstreaming, country and thematic work within the FCO and across relevant departments, and to assist the FCO in projection and implementation of its strategies.

Recommendation Two

We call on the British Government to become a state party to the First Optional Protocol of the CPPR. This would allow individuals in the UK to raise questions about potential violations of their rights directly with the UN Human Rights Committee (HRC), and in addition show leadership to encourage other states to follow suit.

Recommendation Three

We ask the Foreign Secretary to establish a sub-group of the Human Rights Advisory Group to focus on freedom of religion and belief.

Recommendation Four

We call on the FCO to undertake a baseline evaluation of the extent, quality and impact of mainstreaming issues concerning freedom of religion or belief into the work of the office, and undertake further evaluations at fixed intervals to determine progress.

Recommendation Five

We call on the Department for International Development (DfID) to ensure that where aid is provided or contracts are awarded overseas, it is channelled to civil-society organisations and government programmes that can demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of freedom of religion or belief, and can show how their work will have a positive rather than negative impact in this area.

Recommendation Six

We ask the FCO to consider revising the Human Rights and Democracy Programme (HRDP) to enable support of longer-term projects than the one-year cycle currently permits.

Recommendation Seven

We ask the British Government to make representations to the UN to ensure that there is sufficient funding to support a paid, full-time Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief and resource their office.

Recommendation Eight

We call on DfID to identify freedom of religion or belief as a new priority in its work.

Recommendation Nine

We ask the British Government to make representations to the UN nations to ensure that the Rabat Plan of Action is woven into continued engagement with HRC Resolution 16/18 and the Istanbul Process, making sure that the international focus remains the duties of states to protect the freedom of religion or belief of those subject to its jurisdiction, rather than deviating from the rights laid down in Article 18 to address issues around “incitement to religious hatred”.

Recommendation Ten

We urge the FCO to convene an expert group to scope the issues involved in initiating a process to consider a convention on freedom of religion or belief at the international level.

To read the full report , click here.

Source: anorphanedright.net/

Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities

A/RES/47/135                92nd plenary meeting                     18 December 1992

 47/135.  Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities

 The General Assembly,

      Reaffirming that one of the main purposes of the United Nations, as proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations, is to achieve international cooperation in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion,

      Noting the importance of the even more effective implementation of international human rights instruments with regard to the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities,

      Welcoming the increased attention given by human rights treaty bodies to the non-discrimination and protection of minorities,

      Aware of the provisions of article 27 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights concerning the rights of persons belonging to ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities,

      Considering that the United Nations has an increasingly important role to play regarding the protection of minorities,

      Bearing in mind the work done so far within the United Nations system, in particular through the relevant mechanisms of the Commission on Human Rights and the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, in promoting and protecting the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities,

      Recognizing the important achievements in this regard in regional, subregional and bilateral frameworks, which can provide a useful source of inspiration for future United Nations activities,

      Stressing the need to ensure for all, without discrimination of any kind, full enjoyment and exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and emphasizing the importance of the draft Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities in that regard,

      Recalling its resolution 46/115 of 17 December 1991 and taking note of Commission on Human Rights resolution 1992/16 of 21 February 1992, by which the Commission approved the text of the draft declaration on the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, and Economic and Social Council resolution 1992/4 of 20 July 1992, in which the Council recommended it to the General Assembly for adoption and further action,

      Having considered the note by the Secretary-General,

      1.    Adopts the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, the text of which is annexed to the present resolution;

      2.    Requests the Secretary-General to ensure the distribution of the Declaration as widely as possible and to include the text of the Declaration in the next edition of Human Rights:  A Compilation of International Instruments;

      3.    Invites United Nations agencies and organizations and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to intensify their efforts with a view to disseminating information on the Declaration and to promoting understanding thereof;

      4.    Invites the relevant organs and bodies of the United Nations, including treaty bodies, as well as representatives of the Commission on Human Rights and the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, to give due regard to the Declaration within their mandates;

      5.    Requests the Secretary-General to consider appropriate ways for the effective promotion of the Declaration and to make proposals thereon;

      6.    Also requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its forty-eighth session on the implementation of the present resolution under the item entitled "Human rights questions".


                                     ANNEX

Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities

The General Assembly,

      Reaffirming that one of the basic aims of the United Nations, as proclaimed in the Charter, is to promote and encourage respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion,

      Reaffirming faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small,

      Desiring to promote the realization of the principles contained in the Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as other relevant international instruments that have been adopted at the universal or regional level and those concluded between individual States Members of the United Nations,

      Inspired by the provisions of article 27 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights concerning the rights of persons belonging to ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities,

      Considering that the promotion and protection of the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities contribute to the political and social stability of States in which they live,

      Emphasizing that the constant promotion and realization of the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, as an integral part of the development of society as a whole and within a democratic framework based on the rule of law, would contribute to the strengthening of friendship and cooperation among peoples and States,

      Considering that the United Nations has an important role to play regarding the protection of minorities,

      Bearing in mind the work done so far within the United Nations system, in particular by the Commission on Human Rights, the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities and the bodies established pursuant to the International Covenants on Human Rights and other relevant international human rights instruments in promoting and protecting the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities,

      Taking into account the important work which is done by intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations in protecting minorities and in promoting and protecting the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities,

      Recognizing the need to ensure even more effective implementation of international human rights instruments with regard to the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities,

      Proclaims this Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities:

                                   Article 1

1.    States shall protect the existence and the national or ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic identity of minorities within their respective territories and shall encourage conditions for the promotion of that identity.

2.    States shall adopt appropriate legislative and other measures to achieve those ends.

                                   Article 2

1.    Persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities (hereinafter referred to as persons belonging to minorities) have the right to enjoy their own culture, to profess and practise their own religion, and to use their own language, in private and in public, freely and without interference or any form of discrimination.

2.    Persons belonging to minorities have the right to participate effectively in cultural, religious, social, economic and public life.
 
3.    Persons belonging to minorities have the right to participate effectively in decisions on the national and, where appropriate, regional level concerning the minority to which they belong or the regions in which they live, in a manner not incompatible with national legislation.

4.    Persons belonging to minorities have the right to establish and maintain their own associations.

5.    Persons belonging to minorities have the right to establish and maintain, without any discrimination, free and peaceful contacts with other members of their group and with persons belonging to other minorities, as well as contacts across frontiers with citizens of other States to whom they are related by national or ethnic, religious or linguistic ties.

                                   Article 3

1.    Persons belonging to minorities may exercise their rights, including those set forth in the present Declaration, individually as well as in community with other members of their group, without any discrimination.

2.    No disadvantage shall result for any person belonging to a minority as the consequence of the exercise or non-exercise of the rights set forth in the present Declaration.

                                   Article 4

1.    States shall take measures where required to ensure that persons belonging to minorities may exercise fully and effectively all their human rights and fundamental freedoms without any discrimination and in full equality before the law.

2.    States shall take measures to create favourable conditions to enable persons belonging to minorities to express their characteristics and to develop their culture, language, religion, traditions and customs, except where specific practices are in violation of national law and contrary to international standards.

3.    States should take appropriate measures so that, wherever possible, persons belonging to minorities may have adequate opportunities to learn their mother tongue or to have instruction in their mother tongue.

4.    States should, where appropriate, take measures in the field of education, in order to encourage knowledge of the history, traditions, language and culture of the minorities existing within their territory. Persons belonging to minorities should have adequate opportunities to gain knowledge of the society as a whole.

5.    States should consider appropriate measures so that persons belonging to minorities may participate fully in the economic progress and development in their country.

                                   Article 5

1.    National policies and programmes shall be planned and implemented with due regard for the legitimate interests of persons belonging to minorities.

2.    Programmes of cooperation and assistance among States should be planned and implemented with due regard for the legitimate interests of persons belonging to minorities.

                                   Article 6

      States should cooperate on questions relating to persons belonging to minorities, inter alia, exchanging information and experiences, in order to promote mutual understanding and confidence.

                                   Article 7

      States should cooperate in order to promote respect for the rights set forth in the present Declaration.

                                   Article 8

1.    Nothing in the present Declaration shall prevent the fulfilment of international obligations of States in relation to persons belonging to minorities.  In particular, States shall fulfil in good faith the obligations and commitments they have assumed under international treaties and agreements to which they are parties.

2.    The exercise of the rights set forth in the present Declaration shall not prejudice the enjoyment by all persons of universally recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms.

3.    Measures taken by States to ensure the effective enjoyment of the rights set forth in the present Declaration shall not prima facie be considered contrary to the principle of equality contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

4.    Nothing in the present Declaration may be construed as permitting any activity contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations, including sovereign equality, territorial integrity and political independence of States.

                                   Article 9

      The specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system shall contribute to the full realization of the rights and principles set forth in the present Declaration, within their respective fields of competence.

Sixth Session of the UN Forum on Minority Issues: "Beyond freedom of religion or belief: Guaranteeing the rights of religious minorities"

United Nations Forum on Minority Issues

Pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 6/15 of 28 September 2007 renewed by resolution 19/23 of 23 March 2012, a forum on minority issues has been established to provide a platform for promoting dialogue and cooperation on issues pertaining to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, as well as thematic contributions and expertise to the work of the independent expert on minority issues. The Forum shall identify and analyze best practices, challenges, opportunities and initiatives for the further implementation of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities.

The Forum meets annually for two working days allocated to thematic discussions. The independent expert on minority issues shall guide the work of the Forum, prepare its annual meetings and report on the thematic recommendations of the Forum to the Human Rights Council.

The same resolution has requested the President of the Human Rights Council to appoint for each session, on the basis of regional rotation, and in consultation with regional groups, a chairperson of the Forum among experts on minority issues.

This year, the Sixth Session of the UN Forum on Minority Issues will address the problems faced by religious minorities.

Theme: "Beyond freedom of religion or belief: Guaranteeing the rights of religious minorities".

Dates: 26 and 27 November 2013

Venue: Room XX of the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland.

Read the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities.

Forum website: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/Minority/Pages/Session6.aspx

Nueva Declaración del CALIR. Ataque a templo metodista.

CONSEJO ARGENTINO PARA LA LIBERTAD RELIGIOSA (CALIR)

DECLARACIÓN

El Consejo Argentino para la Libertad Religiosa (CALIR) expresa su profundo pesar e indignación por el atentado ocurrido la noche del pasado sábado 9 de noviembre contra el histórico templo de la Primera Iglesia Metodista en la Ciudad de Buenos Aires.

Personas que aún no fueron identificadas forzaron la entrada y perpetraron actos de vandalismo con claro significado antirreligioso: removieron la cruz del altar colocándola invertida, pusieron explosivos de utilería junto a la instalación eléctrica y rompieron vidrieras con publicaciones religiosas. Junto con esas acciones de alto contenido simbólico los autores del hecho produjeron daños materiales, el más importante de ellos contra el histórico órgano de 1880, que había sido recientemente restaurado gracias al esfuerzo de la comunidad.

Ante esta nueva manifestación de odio antirreligioso, el CALIR considera necesario alertar a las autoridades y a la comunidad recordando que en las últimas semanas se registraron hechos similares contra templos de esta misma y de otras confesiones.

La sucesión de hechos tan deleznables debería ser enfocada como síntoma incipiente de descomposición de un valor constitutivo de nuestra identidad nacional: el respeto absoluto de la libertad religiosa. Siendo tanto lo que el país puede perder, es imprescindible que el Estado y las organizaciones de la sociedad civil se pongan en acción inmediatamente para transmitir a las nuevas generaciones las virtudes cívicas que forjaron la Nación sobre la base del respeto recíproco de las convicciones y creencias.

Exhortamos también a las autoridades a realizar una pronta y eficaz investigación para la identificación de los responsables de éste y de los anteriores hechos vandálicos cometidos contra templos y lugares de culto –aún impunes–, y a otorgar a ellos la protección de hecho y de derecho que merecen.

Buenos Aires, noviembre 12 de 2013.-

Ricardo Docampo                                  Octavio Lo Prete

Secretario                                              Presidente