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RESOLUTIONS ON LEGAL AFFAIRS ADOPTED BY THE THIRTY-THIRD SESSION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE OFFOREIGN MINISTERS (SESSION OF HARMONY OF RIGHTS, FREEDOMS AND JUSTICE)
BAKU, REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN 23-25 JUMADA AL-AWWAL 1427H (19-21 JUNE 2006)
Resolution on the Coordination among Member States in the field of Human Rights
ON THE COORDINATION AMONG MEMBER STATES IN THE FIELD OF HUMAN RIGHTS
The Thirty-third Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, (Session of Harmony of Rights, Freedoms and Justice), held in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan from 23 to 25 Jumada Awal, 1427H (19-21 June 2006), Recalling the noble motives and objectives of the glorious religion of Islam, which emphasizes the importance of human rights; and mindful of the universality and integral nature of Islamic laws on human rights and the prominent place of the human being; Bearing in mind the objectives of the OIC Charter of promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all people without distinction as to race, sex, or religion; Recalling all relevant Resolutions of the Islamic Summit and Foreign Ministers Conferences, in particular Resolution No. 49/19-P by virtue of which the “Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam” has been adopted; Aware of the need for strengthening the existing mechanism within the OIC for exploring ways and means to promote and protect human rights through, inter alia, the formulation of a set of Islamic covenants on human rights; Recognizing the obligations and endeavors of the Member States to promote and protect internationally recognized human rights while taking into account the significance of their religious, national, and regional specificities and various historical and cultural backgrounds, and with due regard to the “Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam”; Mindful of the universality and integral nature of Islamic values with respect to human rights, the prominent place of the human being Pin Islam as vicegerent of Allah on earth and hence the great importance attached by Islamic thought to the promotion, encouragement, and respect of human rights; Further recalling the UN Commission on Human Rights’ Resolutions entitled “defamation of religions” which expressed deep concern over the negative stereotyping of religions and at the way Islam is frequently and wrongly associated with human rights violations and with terrorism, and which also expressed concern over the space devoted by the printed, audio-visual, and electronic media to inciting violence, xenophobia, or related intolerance and discrimination towards Islam and other religions; Noting the UN General Assembly resolution A/60/251 on the establishment of the Human Rights Council; Reaffirming the universality, objectivity and non-selectivity of all human rights and also the importance of promotion and protection of human rights through cooperation and consensus and not through confrontation and the imposition of incompatible, alien and inhomogeneous values; Noting the attempts to exploit the issue of human rights to discredit the principles and rules of Islamic Shariah and to interfere in the affairs of Islamic States; Having taken note of the relevant report of the Secretary General; 1. Asserts that human rights are universal in nature and must be considered in the context of dynamic and evolving process of international norm-setting, bearing in mind the significance of national and regional particularities and various historical, cultural and religious backgrounds. 2. Emphasizes the necessity for the international community to address the human rights issues on an objective and indivisible basis, as far as all states are concerned, without selectivity or discrimination. 3. Calls for the necessity to consider human rights in their global conception and in all their civil, political, social, economic, and cultural facets within the framework of international cooperation and solidarity.
4. Reaffirms the right of states to adhere to their religious, social, and cultural specificities which constitute a heritage and streams of thought that contribute towards enriching the common international conceptions of human rights.
5. Calls for abstaining from using the universality of human rights as a pretext to interfere in the states’ internal affairs and undermine their national sovereignty. 6. Recalls the states’ right to reserve, where necessary, to express reservations on the international conventions, covenants, and agreements they subscribe to, as part of their sovereign rights.
7. Expresses its deep concern over the frequent and erroneous association of Islam with violations of human rights and the misuse of the printed and audio-visual media in propagating such misconceptions and calls on the Member States to undertake information activities to counter these activities.
8. Denounces media campaigns and fabrications made by some quarters in non-Member States regarding the treatment of non-Muslim minorities and communities in the OIC Member States under the slogan of religious freedoms and so on. 9. Expresses deep concern over any activities which may be carried out by certain Governmental and Nongovernmental Organizations which are supported by governments that use them to attack OIC Member States for political purposes and to further their foreign policy objectives in international forums. 10. Exhorts all states to take all appropriate measures, in the context of their national legislations and in line with international human rights instruments, to promote understanding, tolerance, and respect in matters connected with freedom of religion or creed. 11. Calls upon Member States to continue their active coordination and cooperation in the field of human rights particularly in the relevant international forums in order to strengthen Islamic solidarity against any initiative that may lead to the use of human rights as a means of political pressure on any Member State, in particular for enhancement of their participation in formulation and codification of international human rights instruments based on Islamic Sharia.
12. Calls upon Member States to closely coordinate their position in the work of the Human Rights Council on issues of concern to the Muslim world in general, and in particular in the process of: a) review and rationalization of existing human rights machinery, special procedures, NGOs participation, Sub-Commission and 1503 procedure; b) establishing its rules of procedures; and c) defining the appropriate modality for the universal periodic review.
13. Decides that the General Secretariat and the Member States shall undertake to follow up Member States’ missions with the relevant international organizations, in particular, at the UN headquarters in New York and Geneva, and to hold meetings on appropriate occasions, to consider and discuss human rights issues with a view to adopting a unified position among Member States vis-a.-vis campaigns and draft resolutions that target OIC Member States in relevant international fora.
14. Commends the valuable contribution of the OIC open ended Working Group on Human Rights and Humanitarian issues at the United Nations Office in Geneva towards safeguarding the interests of the Islamic countries, and decides to establish a similar Working Group at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
15. Calls on the OIC Groups in Geneva and New York to highlight the concern of the Islamic countries regarding the worsening situation of Muslims in western countries since the terrorist acts of 11 September 2001 as well as the laws and practices against the rights of Muslim women.
16. Requests the Member States to sign and ratify the Covenant on the rights of the Child in Islam as soon as possible.
17. Appreciates the activities of the Intergovernmental Expert Group on the follow-up of the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam, and calls upon it and its sub-committee to continue expeditiously their activities, especially in developing Covenants on human rights in Islam, in accordance with their mandates, the principles enshrined in the Cairo Declaration and based on the priorities approved by virtue of resolution 60/27-P.
18. Requests the Secretary General to follow up the implementation of this resolution and submit a progressive report thereon to the 34th Session of the ICFM.
ON THE SIGNING/RATIFICATION OF (ACCESSION TO) THE AGREEMENTS CONCLUDED IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE
The Thirty-third Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, (Session of Harmony of Rights, Freedoms and Justice), held in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan from 23 to 25 Jumada Awal, 1427H (19-21 June 2006), Having considered the signing, ratification and accession status of the agreements concluded in the framework of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Noting that the minimum number of ratifications by Member States required for the entry into force of some of these agreements has not been completed as required by their provisions, and the importance of accelerating the ratification in order to support the role of the Organization and widen the scope of cooperation among Member States, Taking note of the Report of the OIC Secretary General contained in (Doc. No. OIC/33-ICFM/2006/LEG/SG.REP.4), 1. Urges Member States again to, as soon as possible, sign/ratify the various agreements concluded in the framework of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. 2. Requests the Secretary General to implement this resolution and present a report thereon to the 34th Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers.
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