A/HRC/6/6 page 2 Summary The present report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 4/9 entitled “Combating defamation of religions”, in which the Council invited the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance to report on all manifestations of defamation of religions and in particular on the serious implications of Islamophobia on the enjoyment of all rights at its sixth session. In accordance with the Council’s request, in the present report which is to be read in conjunction with his previous reports on the issue, the Special Rapporteur focuses on the phenomenon of Islamophobia. However, he wishes to point out that this focus does not imply the establishment of any hierarchy in discrimination against different religions. As he conveyed in his previous reports, strategies to combat anti-Semitism, Christianophobia and Islamophobia should promote equal treatment of these phobias and avoidance of any prioritization of efforts to combat all forms of discrimination. Chapter I of the present report provides an analysis of the increasing trend in defamation of religions and the factors that explain it, particularly in the context where human rights violations are justified as measures to combat terrorism, to protect national security and preserve national identity. Chapter II is focused on the phenomenon of defamation of religions and its different manifestations in the current political and ideological context, dominated by the fight against terrorism and the amalgamation of factors of race, culture and religion. It also analyses specific forms of religion-based discrimination, including Islamophobia and its manifestations - in particular following the events of 11 September 2001 - Anti-Semitism, Christianophobia and discrimination against other religions and spiritual traditions and practices. In chapter III, the Special Rapporteur seeks to elucidate the dialectic between the specificity of each of these forms of discrimination and the universality of efforts to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. Chapter IV sets forth some of the most relevant initiatives put in place to counter the phenomenon of defamation of religions. Chapter V contains the Special Rapporteur’s conclusions and recommendations. In particular, the Special Rapporteur calls for a strengthened commitment of political leaders and intellectuals to strongly reject and condemn any expression of hate and xenophobia, particularly those of racist and xenophobic political platforms in the programmes of democratic parties and in the governmental alliances that enable the promoters of these platforms to implement their agendas with a clout of democratic legitimacy. Member States are also called upon to integrate, in their national policies, the promotion of dialogue between cultures and religions, and avoid policies, postures and statements inspired by the divisive concept of the clash of civilizations. Besides, given the challenge posed by the growing instrumentalization of freedom of expression by extreme right groups, the Special Rapporteur calls for a renewed reflection, by all bodies concerned, on the balance and complementarity between freedom of expression and freedom of religion.