Ms Asma Jahangir with Dr Jonathan Gallagher in New York for the meeting on Freedom of Religion or Belief
News: October 2007
Ms Asma Jahangir with Dr Jonathan Gallagher in New York for the meeting on Freedom of Religion or Belief
"Objective criticism of religion is a human right," says UN Religious Freedom Expert
New York, NY, USA…
"Objective criticism of religion is a human right," affirmed
Ms Asma Jahangir, United Nations special rapporteur at a meeting in New
York on October 25.
Jahangir was speaking
at a special meeting of the United Nations Non-Government Organization
Committee for Freedom of Religion or Belief. Her remarks come after intense
debate at the UN, especially at the Human Rights Council, on this issue
of defamation of religion. Jahangir's mandate is as special rapporteur
for Freedom of Religion or Belief.
"Mine is a contentious
mandate," she commented, "and defamation of religion is the
current contentious issue. Additionally, there is not a consensus among
states on fundamental issues, such as conversion. Some are not willing
to accept the idea of leaving a faith community."
She went on to discuss
the defamation issue, observing that many religious people believe they
alone have the truth, with the idea that "my religion is better,
is superior." Religion is sometimes compared to race, she said, and
the provisions against racial hatred are then applied to religion. But,
she observed, "religion is unlike race--you cannot proselytize to
change one's race. There are serious differences."
Jahangir was also
concerned that "defamation is sometimes stretched to include criticism.
If some definitions of defamation are adopted, social norms based on religion
could not be debated. Defamation is an issue of civil law, not a violation
of human rights." She also critiqued blasphemy laws which are used
to silence dissent, commenting that "religion can be used as a tool
of fear, used against minorities, and to crush internal dissent."
Responding to a question
from Dr. Jonathan Gallagher, UN Liaison director for the Seventh-day Adventist
Church, on how to support her mandate, Jahangir said that help with research
was very important. She mentioned as an example information provided on
the blasphemy issue that was extremely helpful for an upcoming meeting.
"The better prepared the mandate holder is, the better they can function,"
she commented.
Jahangir has recently
completed country missions to the United Kingdom and Tajikistan. Upcoming
missions are to Angola, Israel, India, and Turkmenistan.
"While there
are problems in every country, democratic norms lead to freedom of religion,"
Jahangir concluded. "In a closed society, restrictions on the freedom
to manifest religion result. Serious limitations on freedom of religion
impact economic development." [PARL News]
Memorial service at the cemetery for the 140 Adventists executed during the Stalin regime
Russian Adventist Martyrs Remembered
On October 7, 2007 the memorial cemetery “Levashovsky Wasteland” in St. Petersburg saw the opening of the monument to the Adventists killed during the period of Stalin repressions in 1937-1938. The worship took place at noon, with one hundred persons assembled (including the representative of St. Petersburg Governor, Valentina Matvienko, and some scientists), and Victor Vitko, director of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty for the Russian region.
A film will be made, which will be premiered during during a film festival, and visitors can make a trip to Levashovsky cemetery
The cemetery remained classified as secret up to 1989 and administered by the State security service, practically unchanged. According to the data revealed, they secretly executed in Leningrad (St. Petersburg) by shooting 19,350 persons in 1937, and 20,769 persons in 1938. It was possible to ascertain the names of the five killed Adventists who were secretly buried at that cemetery. As I was informed yesterday, a total of 140 Adventists were executed in the territory of the present-day Central Federal District. To bury them, a new burial ground was necessary. It was a strictly fenced and guarded area near village Levashovo.
After the worship, during a lunch, Victor Vitko told the scientists about the upcoming festival that will be organized next year. They were very interested in this event and asked him to arrange a meeting of scientists, representatives of “Knowledge” Society of St. Petersburg, with Dr John Graz, PARL director for the Adventist world church. [PARL News]