Heads of Arab Parliament, Councils back Qatar's Proposal on criminalising contempt of religion

Speakers of Arab Parliaments and Councils announced, in the Final Communique of the 34th conference of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union in Baghdad, their support for the proposal submitted by Qatar to include the issue of criminalizing contempt of religions on the agenda of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.The Communique, dubbed "Baghdad Declaration" included an article stipulating the support of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union for the inclusion of an emergency item on the agenda of the 146th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union submitted by the Shura Council, on behalf of the Arab Parliamentary Group, on the criminalization of contempt for religions and violation of places of worship and sanctities, and the call to promote the values of coexistence and tolerance.The Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union condemned the burning and tearing of copies of the Holy Quran in a number of Western countries, considering it a flagrant violation of international human rights principles and covenants, as well as a blatant provocation of the feelings of Muslims around the world as well as feeding hate speech and violence, under the pretext of freedom of expression. The Union also called for promoting the values of dialogue, tolerance and coexistence.Furthermore, the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union renewed its call to members of world parliaments and legislatures to enact laws to criminalize and condemn such acts, and work together to cement coordination and cooperation to advance the humanitarian discourse that is based on love and peace and coexistence.In their Final Communique, the conferees affirmed their support and solidarity with the Republic of Iraq and the need to provide everything necessary to enhance its stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity. They also reiterated their supportive and solid position of solidarity for the Palestinian cause, as the central cause of the Arab and Islamic nations.