The General Assembly,
 
     Recalling that all States have pledged themselves, under the Charter of
the United Nations, to promote and encourage universal respect for and
observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without
distinction as to race, sex, language or religion,
 
     Recognizing that these rights derive from the inherent dignity of the
human person,
 
     Emphasizing that the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion
and belief is far-reaching and profound and that it encompasses freedom of
thought on all matters, personal conviction and the commitment to religion or
belief, whether manifested individually or in community with others,
 
     Recalling article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights,
 
     Reaffirming that discrimination against human beings on the grounds of
religion or belief constitutes an affront to human dignity and a disavowal of
the principles of the Charter,
 
     Reaffirming its resolution 36/55 of 25 November 1981, by which it
proclaimed the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and
of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief,
 
     Reaffirming the call of the World Conference on Human Rights for all
Governments to take all appropriate measures in compliance with their
international obligations and with due regard to their respective legal
systems to counter intolerance and related violence based on religion or
belief, including practices of discrimination against women and the
desecration of religious sites, recognizing that every individual has the
right to freedom of thought, conscience, expression and religion,
 
     Recalling that the World Conference on Human Rights recognized that the
process of promoting and protecting human rights should be conducted in
conformity with the purposes and principles of the Charter and international
law,
 
     Calling upon all Governments to cooperate with the Special Rapporteur of
the Commission on Human Rights on religious intolerance to enable him to carry
out his mandate fully,
 
     Recognizing that it is desirable to enhance the promotional and public
information activities of the United Nations in matters relating to freedom of
religion or belief and that both Governments and non-governmental
organizations have an important role to play in this domain,
 
     Emphasizing that non-governmental organizations and religious bodies and
groups at every level have an important role to play in the promotion of
tolerance and the protection of freedom of religion or belief,
 
     Conscious of the importance of education in ensuring tolerance of
religion and belief,
 
     Welcoming the inclusion of events relating to tolerance and religious
diversity among the activities undertaken during the United Nations Year for
Tolerance,
 
     Alarmed that serious instances of intolerance and discrimination on the
grounds of religion or belief, including acts of violence, intimidation and
coercion motivated by religious extremism, occur in many parts of the world
and threaten the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms,
 
     Deeply concerned that, as reported by the Special Rapporteur, the rights
violated on religious grounds include the right to life, the right to physical
integrity and to liberty and security of person, the right to freedom of
expression, the right not to be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman
or degrading treatment or punishment, and the right not to be arbitrarily
arrested or detained,
 
     Believing that further efforts are therefore required to promote and
protect the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief and
to eliminate all forms of hatred, intolerance and discrimination based on
religion or belief,
 
     1.   Reaffirms that freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief
is a human right derived from the inherent dignity of the human person and
guaranteed to all without discrimination;
 
     2.   Urges States to ensure that their constitutional and legal systems
provide adequate and effective guarantees of freedom of thought, conscience,
religion and belief to all without discrimination, including the provision of
effective remedies in cases where the right to freedom of religion or belief
is violated;
 
     3.   Also urges States to ensure, in particular, that no one within their
jurisdiction is, because of their religion or belief, deprived of the right to
life or the right to liberty and security of person, or is subjected to
torture or arbitrary arrest or detention;
 
     4.   Condemns all instances of hatred, intolerance and acts of violence,
intimidation and coercion motivated by religious extremism and intolerance of
religion or belief;
 
     5.   Urges States, in conformity with international standards of human
rights, to take all necessary action to prevent such instances, to take all
appropriate measures to combat hatred, intolerance and acts of violence,
intimidation and coercion motivated by religious extremism and to encourage
understanding, tolerance and respect in matters relating to freedom of
religion or belief;
 
     6.   Recognizes that legislation alone is not enough to prevent
violations of human rights, including the right to freedom of religion or
belief;
 
     7.   Emphasizes that, as underlined by the Human Rights Committee,
restrictions on the freedom to manifest religion or belief are permitted only
if limitations are prescribed by law, are necessary to protect public safety,
order, health or morals, or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others, and
are applied in a manner that does not vitiate the right to freedom of thought,
conscience and religion;
 
     8.   Urges States to ensure that, in the course of their official duties,
members of law enforcement bodies, civil servants, educators and other public
officials respect different religions and beliefs and do not discriminate
against persons professing other religions or beliefs;
 
     9.   Calls upon all States to recognize, as provided in the Declaration
on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on
Religion or Belief, the right of all persons to worship or assemble in
connection with a religion or belief, and to establish and maintain places for
those purposes;
 
     10.  Expresses its grave concern at any attack upon religious places,
sites and shrines, and calls upon all States, in accordance with their
national legislation and in conformity with international human rights
standards, to exert utmost efforts to ensure that such places, sites and
shrines are fully respected and protected;
 
     11.  Recognizes that the exercise of tolerance and non- discrimination by
persons and groups is necessary for the full realization of the aims of the
Declaration;
 
     12.  Considers it desirable to enhance the promotional and public
information activities of the United Nations in matters relating to freedom of
religion or belief and to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to this
end, including the dissemination, as a matter of high priority, of the text of
the Declaration by United Nations information centres, as well as by other
interested bodies;
 
     13.  Encourages the continued efforts on the part of the Special
Rapporteur appointed to examine incidents and governmental actions in all
parts of the world that are incompatible with the provisions of the
Declaration and to recommend remedial measures as appropriate;
 
     14.  Invites the Special Rapporteur, within the terms of his mandate and
in the context of recommending remedial measures, to take into account the
experiences of various States as to which measures are most effective in
promoting freedom of religion and belief and countering all forms of
intolerance;
 
     15.  Encourages Governments to give serious consideration to inviting the
Special Rapporteur to visit their countries so as to enable him to fulfil his
mandate even more effectively;
 
     16.  Recommends that the promotion and protection of the right to freedom
of thought, conscience, religion and belief be given appropriate priority in
the work of the United Nations programme of advisory services in the field of
human rights, including with regard to the drafting of legal texts in
conformity with international instruments on human rights and taking into
account the provisions of the Declaration;
 
     17.  Welcomes and encourages the efforts of non-governmental
organizations to promote the implementation of the Declaration, and invites
them to consider what further contribution they could make to its
implementation and dissemination in all parts of the world;
 
     18.  Requests the Commission on Human Rights to continue its
consideration of measures to implement the Declaration;
 
     19.  Requests the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights to
submit an interim report to the General Assembly at its fifty-first session;
 
     20.  Requests the Secretary-General to ensure that the Special Rapporteur
receives the necessary staffing and financial and material resources to enable
him to discharge his mandate;
 
     21.  Decides to consider the question of the elimination of all forms of
religious intolerance at its fifty-first session under the item entitled
"Human rights questions".