Iraq issues International document putting end for abuses against religions

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraq ’s representative at the 17 th Session of the Human Rights Council, held in Geneva , has said on Thursday that Iraq had issued an International Document, putting an end for abuses against religions.   “The Iraqi government has put an end for such problems, by its development of the articles of the Iraqi Penalty Code, increasing the punishment against anybody who undermines religions or insults its symbols, included in the project for freedom of expression, along with passing another law, considering instigation of racism as a legal crime,” the Administrative Undersecretary for the Iraqi Human Rights Ministry and Chairman of the Iraqi Delegation to the Council’s meeting, Hussein al-Zuheiry, told IraqiNews.com news agency.   Zuheiry said that Iraq “is one of the leading countries that had been exposed for terrorist attacks, targeted against religious minorities, aimed at undermining its security and stability, thing that pushed the Iraqi government to support the security measures to stop the immigration of minorities and returning them to their original areas.”   “The states that believe that they respect the freedom of opinion, allowing the insulting of Islamic religious symbols, are in fact, supporting the extremists to mobilize masses against Moslems, being an unjustified discrimination and an organized aggression in the name of freedom of expression,” he said.   Meanwhile, the Spokeswoman for the European Security & Cooperation Bureau, Simona Santaro,   expressed strong opposition for the religious extremism against Islam and Jews, confirming “necessity to take several measures towards freedom of religions.”   The Ambassador of the Organization of Freedom of Religions in America, on her part, spoke about the burning of the Holy Quran and the passive impacts of that incident, pointing out to the condemnation of the incident by the U.S. President, whilst the speech of the Pakistani delegation was read on behalf of the Islamic Conference, that pointed out to the decision adopted by its 16 th Session, calling for an international dialogue and the support for Islam, considered as the foundation stone for diversification and respect among generations.   SKH (FT)   460