Excerpt:
A U.N. Human Rights Council decision last week to pass a resolution on combating intolerance based on religion dropped Muslim states' cherished concept of "defamation" of religion, drawing widespread praise. But the Islamic bloc has made it clear that its controversial defamation resolutions passed in earlier years remain valid.
The text approved unanimously by the Geneva-based HRC last Thursday – no vote was taken – did not replace the religious defamation resolutions, Islamic ambassadors stressed during the council session.
The Saudi-based Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the bloc of 56 Muslim-majority states that has championed religious defamation resolutions at the U.N. every year since 1999, sent the same message to Saudi media this week.