Antonio Guterres, the secretary-general of the UN, has expressed concern about “a disturbing rise in anti-Muslim bigotry,” calling on governments to protect religious freedom and use of hate speech on social media.
On Saturday, Guterres made the remarks in response to the annual March 15 International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
Since Israel’s 17-month war on Gaza began, there have been more rises in Islamophobia, anti-Arab bias, and anti-Semitism according to rights organizations all over the world and the UN.
Anti-Muslim bigotry is rising alarmingly. In a video post on X, the UN chief described racism and discriminatory policies that violate human rights and dignity as well as direct violence against people and places of worship. This is a “part of a wider pandemic of intolerance, extremist ideologies, and attacks against religious groups and vulnerable populations.”
He urged governments to “promote social cohesion and defend religious freedom,” without naming any particular country.
Hate speech and harassment must be prohibited on online platforms. And against bigotry, xenophobia, and discrimination, he continued.
Anti-Muslim bigotry is a growing trend in a wider pandemie of hatred and violence against religious groups and also, vulnerable populations.
Let’s work together to uphold equality, human rights, and dignity this International Day to Combat Islamophobia. pic. twitter.com/QIO1TeWME5
According to UN Under-Secretary-General Miguel Angel Moratinos, Muslims are also subject to “institutional discrimination and socioeconomic restrictions.”
In a speech to the UN General Assembly, he said, “These biases are manifested in the stigmatization and unwarranted racial profiling of Muslims and are reinforced by biased media representations, as well as by some political leaders’ anti-Muslim rhetoric and policies.”
Because some people associate those communities with armed groups, rights advocates have for years raised concerns about the stigma faced by Muslims and Arabs.
Many pro-Palestinian activists have complained and claim that their support for Palestinian rights is incorrectly portrayed by their critics as supporting Hamas in Gaza at the moment, including in Western nations like the United States.
Rights-focused organizations have released data in recent weeks that shows record levels of hate speeches and incidents against Muslims in nations like the UK, the US, and India, among others.
Source: Aljazeera
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