The U.N. human rights chief used a special debate on Tuesday about burnings of the Quran in Sweden and other European countries to tread a fine line between freedom of expression and respect for religious beliefs, while broadening his call for respect of “all others” including migrants, LGBTQI+ people, and women and girls who wear headscarves.
Volker Türk, speaking to the Human Rights Council, took on hatred and discrimination that fans violence amid growing concerns about “manufactured” shows of intolerance aimed to drive a wedge between civilizations. Recent burnings of the Quran have had sweeping repercussions and even weighed on Turkey’s reflections about whether to admit Sweden into NATO.
