Special Representative of the Secretary General on antisemitic, anti‑Muslim and other forms of religious intolerance and hate crimes

In the current geopolitical context, hate crimes, hate speech, and threats to civil liberties and freedom of peaceful assembly have multiplied worldwide. Muslim and Jewish communities have become targets of physical and verbal attacks. They feel more and more unsafe and threatened, online and offline. No one should be subject to racism, violence, silencing or retaliation because of religion, ethnic origin, gender or nationality. International organizations have recognized that discrimination and hatred of Muslims following terrorist attacks can rise to epidemic proportions. We are deeply concerned with such developments and express solidarity with our fellow Muslim citizens.

Building on the recent statement of our peers Special Envoys and Coordinators Combating Antisemitism on 7 November, we collectively denounce all forms of bias, discrimination, and hatred against Muslims and those perceived to be belonging to this group, including members of Arab or Palestinian Christian groups, Sikhs, as well as other racial or religious minorities. Antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred are equally reprehensible. We strongly condemn all forms of discrimination and racism, which directly threaten our democracy and freedoms and have no place in our societies. Such phenomena, if not addressed, can threaten social cohesion within our societies and can expose vulnerable communities to further harms.

Therefore, together:

• We support the action of the national authorities of our countries and member states to fight racism and discrimination and call on them spare no effort to ensure the safety of Muslim communities, whether it is in places of worship, workplaces, schools, or their homes.
• We urge the public safety and law enforcement agencies to remain alert to incidents of hate crimes and hate motivated violence against Muslims and to implement relevant international and national norms.
• We encourage governments, local authorities, representatives of civil society, religious leaders and all actors to continue to work together to protect democratic rights and civil liberties for all to ensure social unity and peaceful coexistence in our diverse and pluralistic societies.

We welcome and encourage initiatives of citizens, civil society, religious leaders, cities and governmental institutions to promote mutual respect, peace, dialogue and understanding. The way forward is through respectful dialogue underpinned by our shared democratic values and respect for human rights.

We must stand up for our shared values of human rights and inclusion for all.

Signed,

Reem ALABALI-RADOVAN
Minister of State to the Federal Chancellor
Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration
Federal Government Commissioner for Anti-Racism, Germany
 

Luise AMSTBERG
Federal Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Assistance, Germany
 

Rabin BALDEWSINGH
National Coordinator against
Discrimination and Racism in the Netherlands
 

Andrea BENZO
Counsellor, Special Envoy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for the protection of religious freedom and for interfaith dialogue, Italy
 

Delphine BORIONE
Ambassador for Human Rights, France
 

Beatriz Micaela CARRILLO DE LOS REYES
Director General for Equal Treatment and Non-Discrimination and Against Racism at the Ministry of Equality, Spain
 

Amira ELGHAWABY
Canada’s Special Representative on combatting Islamophobia
 

Márk Aurél ÉRSZEGI
Special Advisor for Religion and Diplomacy
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary
 

Simon GEISSBÜHLER
Ambassador, Head of Peace and Human Rights Division, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland
 

Karen GRØNLUND ROGNE
Acting Special Representative for Freedom of Religion and Belief, Denmark
 

Alexandre GUESSEL
Special Representative of the Secretary General on antisemitic, anti-Muslim and other forms of religious intolerance and hate crimes, Council of Europe

Rashad HUSSAIN
U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom
 

Véronique JOOSTEN
Human Rights Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Belgium
 

Marion LALISSE
European Commission Coordinator on combating anti-Muslim hatred
 

Øystein LYNGROTH
Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion and Belief, and head of the IHRA delegation, Norway
 

Luka MESEC
Minister of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Slovenia
 

Michaela MOUA
European Commission Coordinator on combating racism
 

Regina POLAK
Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination
 

David Fernandez PUYANA
Ambassador, Permanent Observer of the UN University for Peace to the UN Office and International Organisations in Geneva and Permanent Delegate of UPeace to UNESCO
 

Ulrika SUNDBERG
Ambassador, Sweden’s Special Envoy to the OIC, Intercultural and Interfaith Dialogue
 

Agnese VILDE
Director of the International Organisations and Human Rights Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia