A/HRC/9/25 page 3 Introduction 1. In resolution 7/19 the Human Rights Council urged States to “take actions to prohibit the dissemination, including through political institutions and organizations, of racist and xenophobic ideas and material aimed at any religion or its followers that constitute incitement to racial and religious hatred, hostility or violence”. 2. In paragraph 16 of that resolution, the Human Rights Council requested the High Commissioner for Human Rights “to report on the implementation of the present resolution and to submit a study compiling relevant existing legislations and jurisprudence concerning defamation of and contempt for religions to the Council at its ninth session”. In accordance with that request, the High Commissioner submits to the Council a report on the implementation of that resolution (A/HRC/9/7), and the present study. 3. To prepare the report and the study, on 24 April 2008, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) sent a note verbale to Member States, regional organizations, national human rights institutions (NHRIs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), requesting information on the implementation of the resolution and on existing legislations and jurisprudence concerning defamation of and contempt for religions. OHCHR received contributions from nine Member States,1 one regional organization (the Council of Europe) and five NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC, which are summarized in A/HRC/9/7. Section V of the present study summarizes replies received from Member States regarding national legislation and jurisprudence. 4. The study presents preliminary findings from research conducted by OHCHR on international, regional and national legislations and relevant jurisprudence concerning defamation of and contempt for religions. Information on national legislation and jurisprudence is limited to the replies received. 5. Section II of the study summarizes relevant provisions of international instruments and jurisprudence related to freedom of religion, permissible restrictions on freedom of expression and religion, and incitement to religious hatred and violence. Section III refers to the conclusions and recommendations made by Special Rapporteurs and former mandate-holders, and Section IV reviews regional norms and jurisprudence on freedom of thought, conscience and religion and freedom of expression. I. BACKGROUND 6. Resolution 7/19 follows a series of resolutions on defamation of religions adopted by the General Assembly, the former Commission on Human Rights and the Human Rights Council. The common concern in these resolutions revolve around several related themes, primarily the stereotyping and negative portrayal of religions, in particular Islam, the association of Islam with 1 Argentina, Bahrain, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Egypt, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mauritius and Turkey.