A/HRC/34/35
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18.
The National Police launched a nationwide programme in November 2015 to
monitor hate crimes. The police have also initiated a dialogue with a number of
stakeholders, with a view to establishing closer cooperation and determining ways to
increase the number of reports of hate crimes by victims.
19.
Section 244-246 of the Criminal Code contains provisions regarding violence and
assaults. Section 23 provides for an offence if a person is complicit in such acts by
incitement or aiding and abetting a wrongful act. Section 81 (6) of the Code makes it an
aggravating circumstance in the sentencing of a criminal act, if the act was motivated by the
ethnic origin, religious beliefs or sexual orientation of others, or similar motivations.
Section 266 (b) provides that any person who publicly, or with the intent of dissemination
to a wider group, issues a statement or other communication threatening, humiliating or
degrading persons of a particular group because of their race, colour, national or ethnic
origin, religious faith or sexuality will be liable to a fine or imprisonment for a term not
exceeding two years.
20.
According to section 137 (2) of the Criminal Code any person who disturbs, inter
alia, a service of worship or other public church service by noisy or disorderly behaviour, or
who disturbs a funeral or burial service in an improper manner will be liable to a fine or
imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years.
Egypt
21.
The Ministry of Awqaf (religious property) is responsible for the promotion of the
concepts of human rights and freedoms through the dissemination of a culture of tolerance
and coexistence. It reports on the forum of tolerance and moderation in the Supreme
Council of Islamic Affairs, under the purview of the Ministry, which promotes dialogue and
a culture of economic and social rights and the rejection of violence, intolerance, terrorism
and religious hatred. On 18 September 2015, a Friday preaching was circulated in all
mosques in Egypt, which referred to human rights, the humane aspects of human rights and
the defence of the dignity of man. The Ministry circulates preaching materials on peaceful
coexistence and human values, in order that the public understand the necessity of rejecting
violence and terrorism, and it calls for moderation, secularism and safety as a way to
stabilize nations and societies.
22.
On “Humanitarian Work Day” in the United Arab Emirates, the Minister of Awqaf
gave an important lecture at the Sheikh Zayed Al Kabir mosque in Abu Dhabi concerning
peaceful coexistence between religion and jurisprudence. The Ministry organizes meetings
and intellectual seminars in clubs and staff unions on many subjects, including the rejection
of discrimination, women’s rights and incitement to violence. There are seminars, day
courses and religious evenings organized on a weekly basis in mosques around the country,
during which freedom of expression, the protection of human rights and the teaching that
Islam calls for peaceful coexistence with others, independent of religion, confession and
thought, as well as the principle of “no harm to others”, are discussed.
Germany
23.
In Germany, offences involving discrimination against persons based on religion or
belief, particularly violent offences, are separately recorded and analysed as hate crimes,
which come under the heading of politically motivated crime. Under criminal law, hate
crime involving contempt for other human beings, which includes discrimination or
violence based on religion or faith, means that the courts generally hand out stricter
sentences, or, in the case of murder, consider the offender to have acted from base motives
(section 211 of the Criminal Code). Hate crimes are prosecuted as offences against State
security. The police forces of the federal Länder support victim assistance projects,
associations and institutions and other counselling bodies in an effort to encourage those
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