JakartaGlobe-Aug 29
Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said on Tuesday freedom of expression should not give someone a free pass to discriminate against others based on religion following multiple Quran-burning incidents in Europe. Retno made the statement at the Jakarta Plurilateral Dialogue which zeroed in on the need to respect other people’s faith. Retno drew the forum’s attention to the spate of Quran burnings in Sweden, saying that the incident was “only one example” of rising religious intolerance. “Freedom of expression does not mean freedom to discriminate and hurt others. As such freedom of expression cannot be promoted at the expense of freedom from discrimination,” Retno said at the forum. According to Retno, a “clear legal framework” is pivotal to combat religion-based discrimination. A case in point is the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The international human rights treaty commits nations to prohibit by law propaganda on religious hatred. Indonesia, which is home to the world’s largest Muslim population, already ratified the treaty. The same goes for Sweden. The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) 16/18 resolution addresses combating religious violence. UNHRC Vice President Muhammadou echoed a similar sentiment on striking a balance between freedom of speech and respect for other people’s faiths. Sweden and Denmark have witnessed a number of Quran-burning incidents in recent months, sparking an uproar from the Muslim nations. International news outlets attributed the massive Quran torching to freedom of speech protections and the lack of blasphemy laws. Read more at: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/indonesia-says-freedom-of-expression-not-free-pass-for-quran-desecration
