The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a resolution sponsored by Morocco denouncing the burning of the Holy Quran and hate speech. The aforementioned resolution strongly denounces all acts of violence and hatred targeted at individuals because of their religion or beliefs, as well as violence directed at religious symbols and sacred books.
In a recent television interview with Al Jazeera, Morocco’s Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Omar Hilale, detailed the Moroccan resolution which was effectively adopted during the 193-member UN General Assembly. The resolution tackled the issue of Quran burning and demands for a robust international pushback.
During the interview, Hilale emphasized the importance of the United Nations taking action against the desecration of holy books, particularly the Quran. He highlighted that despite condemnation from many countries and reactions from the Arab and Muslim world, these responses have not been sufficient to deter attacks on a religion followed by two billion people worldwide.
The resolution’s basic objective was to persuade the UN to denounce such acts and to restrict hateful speech and extremism. Burning a holy book–in this case the Quran–should not be considered a form of freedom of speech, according to Hilale, because it incites hatred and antagonizes a substantial portion of the global population.
Hilale asked European nations and western democracies—where, incidentally, Quran burning is not banned–to respect Muslims’ feelings and consider the effect such actions have on their safety and dignity.” In other words, they do not burn the Quran to simply express themselves; rather, they do it because they hate Islam and to provoke Muslims.”
In response to questions about European countries allowing Quran burning as part of freedom of expression, Hilale was resolute in his stance. He argued that freedom of expression should not infringe upon the freedom of faith and must respect the beliefs and security of Muslims. He stated, “They say that burning a holy book is part of freedom of expression, but what does it have to do with freedom of expression, if not fueling hate and antagonizing a population of two billion Muslims. Freedom of expression should respect the freedom of faith.”
Hilale further argued that international law takes precedence over national laws and that countries like Sweden should align their legal system with that of the UN resolution in order to promote peace, harmony, and coexistence within its borders. He was resolute in concluding, “International law is above that of national law,” and that “Morocco has been calling for dialogue, tolerance, coexistence and compromise on all issues.”
Morocco’s resolution aims to deter extremism and promote tolerance towards religious symbols. The UN’s request to ban Quran burning sets a precedent for countries to reconsider their laws and take proactive measures to avoid religious hatred and prejudice. The global community’s reaction will likely prolong the debate on the balance between free expression and religious respect.