A/HRC/15/53 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 12 July 2010 Original: English Human Rights Council Fifteenth session Agenda item 9 Racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance, follow-up and implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action Report of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, Githu Muigai, on the manifestations of defamation of religions, and in particular on the ongoing serious implications of Islamophobia, for the enjoyment of all rights by their followers Summary The present report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 13/16 of 25 March 2010 entitled “combating defamation of religions”, in which the Council requested 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 ongoing serious implications of Islamophobia, for the enjoyment of all rights by their followers, to the Council at its fifteenth session”. The Special Rapporteur submitted a first report on the topic at the twelfth session of the Human Rights Council (A/HRC/12/38) and the present report should be read in conjunction with that report. Following his previous report, which focused on the legal and conceptual questions concerning the debate on “defamation of religions” and incitement to racial or religious hatred, the Special Rapporteur would like in the present report to refer to cases pertaining to Human Rights Council resolution 13/16 brought to his attention and make related observations. The above-mentioned cases cover a wide range of issues and appear to fall under five broad and non-exhaustive categories. The themes covered include: (a) acts of violence or discrimination, or incitement thereto, against individuals on the basis of their religion or belief; (b) attacks on religious sites; (c) religious and ethnic profiling; (d) religious symbols; and (e) negative stereotyping of religions, their followers and sacred persons. In conclusion, the Special Rapporteur presents some recommendations. GE.10-14999 (E) 110810