In January 2024, UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) Nazila Ghanea published a new thematic report titled “Hatred on the Basis of Religion or Belief.” The theme chosen by the Special Rapporteur could hardly be more topical: the report was issued against a trending backdrop of social hostilities toward religious minorities in many parts of the world, where governments and/or influential social actors inspire, encourage, and incite hatred against small and unpopular religious communities and other vulnerable groups.

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Montserrat Gas-Aixendri is a full professor of law and religion at Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (Barcelona, Spain).

In the January 2024 report Hatred on the Basis of Religion or Belief, the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief Nazila Ghanea urges stronger actions to tackle hate speech, encouraging dialogue between different faiths and cultures and safeguarding religious groups while respecting human rights. She emphasizes the importance of governments addressing religious-based hatred in a manner consistent with human rights principles to ensure effectiveness. In this vein, the report’s final recommendations urge the enactment of comprehensive laws against discrimination aimed at preventing and combating hatred motivated by religion or beliefs (para. 62(f)).

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