A/HRC/13/57
Qatar
[Original: Arabic]
21.
Qatar reported that it had undertaken legislative, institutional and awareness-raising
activities to promote and protect religious freedoms and combat defamation of religions as
part of its efforts to promote and protect human rights. Articles 18, 19, 34 and 35 of the
Constitution of Qatar prohibited discrimination on the grounds of sex, origin, language or
religion. Article 50 of the Constitution further guaranteed freedom of worship for all.
22.
It was reported that article 256 of the Criminal Code of Qatar prescribed up to seven
years’ imprisonment for any person who vandalized, damaged, destroyed or defiled places
of worship, or insulted a Prophet in speech, writing, through imagery or gestures, or by any
other means. Article 263 of the Criminal Code provided a prison sentence of up to one year
or a fine, or both, for any person producing, selling, circulating, buying, possessing or
advertising products, goods, prints or cassettes containing images, slogans, words, symbols,
songs or any other material defaming Islam or the religions protected under sharia law.
Qatar also reported that article 266 of the same Code provided a sanction of up to one
year’s imprisonment or a fine, or both, for any person desecrating a place of burial.
23.
Qatar reported that it had organized a number of international conferences and
forums with a view to promoting religious tolerance and combating defamation of religions.
The US-Islamic World Forum, organized annually since 2004, was bringing together
leading religious scholars and politicians to break down barriers between the Muslim world
and the United States of America. Since 2003, Qatar had also organized annual conferences
for interfaith dialogue. As a result hereof, the Doha International Centre for Interfaith
Dialogue was established in 2008 to promote a culture of dialogue and peaceful coexistence
of humanity.
24.
The State further reported that it was working on the creation of an international
standing committee to address religious issues affecting non-Muslims. In 2005, agreements
had been signed for the construction of six churches. The first Christian Church, known as
the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, had been inaugurated by the Deputy Prime Minister.
Serbia
[Original: English]
25.
Serbia reported on its legal guarantees against discrimination on the grounds of
religion or belief, in particular articles 21, 43 and 49 of the Constitution. Serbia noted that
while according to article 50, paragraph 3, of the Constitution censorship was not allowed,
a competent court could prevent the dissemination of information when this was necessary
to prevent advocacy of racial, ethnic or religious hatred inciting discrimination, hostility or
violence.
26.
It was noted that a number of relevant national laws contained provisions
guaranteeing freedom of religion and prohibiting religious discrimination. Religious
intolerance was criminalized by article 131 of the Criminal Code with a fine or
imprisonment of up to one year, and article 383 of the Criminal Code declared punishable
the destruction of religious facilities or institutions in time of war or armed conflict by
imprisonment of between 5 and 15 years.
27.
Serbia also referred to its Public Information Act which, in its article 38, prohibited
the publication of ideas and opinions which incited discrimination, hatred or violence
against an individual or a group of individuals on account of their religion (among other
grounds). The independent Republic Radio Broadcasting Agency was established per the
GE.10-10223
7
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