Mr. President,

The OIC Member States strongly believe in the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms of all peoples, without any discrimination on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, colour or socio-economic status.

2. OIC Member States are concerned over the increased incidents of anti-Muslim attacks and sentiments. A manifestation of such attacks is the heinous terrorist attack against innocent Muslims praying last Friday (15 March 2019), in New Zealand, that killed more than 50 Muslims and injured many. This is a further warning on the obvious dangers of hate, intolerance, and Islamophobia.
3. There is need to hold perpetrators, organizers and supporters of such reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice. The OIC Member States believe that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.
4. Such incidents are impediments to the promotion and protection of human rights and a clear incitement to racial divide and violence. Other manifestations of such acts, like racial profiling, attacks against hijab, revocation of citizenship on ethnic/racial considerations and acts of cow vigilantes, must also be condemned.
5. At one level, these incidents are motivated by the populist frenzy and provoked by misguided media. At another level, these attacks are also linked with obvious double standards thatportray Muslims as violent aggressors and ignore blatant human rights violations against Muslims on the pretext of bilateral political relations with the powers that perpetrate such violations.
6. The OIC member States join the UN Secretary-General in reiterating the urgency of working better together globally to counter Islamophobia and eliminate intolerance and violent extremism in all its forms.

Mr. President

7. Resolution 16/18 on “Combating intolerance, negative stereotyping and stigmatization of, and discrimination, incitement to violence and violence against persons based on religion or belief” is an important milestone to combat violence on the basis of religion. It also provides aPlan of Action for the States to combat the ever-increasing instances of xenophobia, Islamophobia, intolerance, negative stereo-typing, stigmatization, discrimination and violence all over the world.
8. It is important that the OHCHR in cooperation with the international community, makes efforts tobring an end to acts of hate crimes, hate speech, discrimination, intimidation and coercion resulting from defamation and negative stereotyping of religions, and incitement to religious hatred, as well as denigration of venerated personalities.

I thank you.