A/HRC/15/53 A. Acts of violence or discrimination, or incitement thereto, against individuals on the basis of their religion or belief 6. Numerous cases of acts of violence or discrimination, or incitement thereto, against individuals on the basis of their religion or belief have been reported to the Special Rapporteur since his last report. He would like to refer to those cases following two subcategories: (1) acts of violence, or incitement thereto, against individuals on the basis of their religion or belief; and (2) acts of discrimination, or incitement thereto, against individuals on the basis of their religion or belief. 1. (a) Acts of violence, or incitement thereto, against individuals on the basis of their religion or belief Cases received by the Special Rapporteur 7. On 1 July 2009, a Muslim woman was murdered by a man during an appeal hearing at a court of law in Dresden, Germany, where she was testifying in a criminal case for verbal abuse. The man had reportedly called the Muslim woman who wore a headscarf, an “Islamist” and a “terrorist”, when she asked him to make room for her son on playground swings. 8. On 31 July 2009, following allegations against three Christian children who reportedly cut the Holy Koran in order to play with the paper, a mob was raised in the city of Gojra, Pakistan. Reportedly, Islamists blocked the traffic and demanded the arrest of the children accused of having desecrated the Holy Koran. The demonstration was organized and announced through the loudspeakers of mosques. The next day, the mob swelled and moved towards a block of Christian housing. Those in the mob were allegedly armed with sticks, stones, guns and other chemicals. Violence erupted and eight Christians of the same family were killed and several injured. 9. On 20 September 2009, a robber reportedly wrapped a Muslim woman in a carpet and set her on fire after he raided her home in Westminster, United Kingdom. As he set the carpet alight, he allegedly told her: “this is your Eid present, you Muslim”. 10. On 27 September 2009, about 150 people armed with sticks and hammers allegedly attacked the Bat Nha monastery in Viet Nam. Plain-clothes police officers were reportedly among the mob and police officers in uniform blocked the roads leading to the monastery. The mob violently proceeded to the eviction of 379 monks and nuns from the monastery. Some monks and nuns were beaten up and four of them were sexually assaulted. According to the reports, the monks did not attempt to defend themselves, but they sat down and started to chant in response. 11. On 21 November 2009, following allegations that a 12-year-old Muslim girl had been raped by a Coptic Christian man from the village of Al Kom Al Ahmar, Egypt, at least three shops owned by Coptic Christians were set on fire. Later on the same day, several Muslim individuals reportedly attacked Coptic Christian property, including shops, pharmacies and vehicles. 12. On 18 December 2009, a Sikh student, working as a part-time pizza delivery assistant, was reportedly assaulted in Texas, United States of America. He brought pizzas into a home on a delivery and four men took the pizza. Without paying, they began eating, while allegedly at the same time hurling xenophobic epithets at the Sikh student and threatening him. The men then allegedly grabbed the Sikh student and threw him into a swimming pool. The four attackers surrounded the pool, kicking him in the head and body. For 20 minutes, he swam trying to escape. He eventually seized an opportunity to flee and made it to his car with two men in pursuit. 4 GE.10-14999