OSCE PA Supports Russia's Proposed Resolution Against Religious Discrimination

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly's (OSCE PA) General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions supported on Saturday a draft resolution against religious discrimination proposed by Russia, a Sputnik correspondent reported.

MINSK/MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The paper prepared by the Russian upper chamber’s member Lyudmila Narusova calls on political, religious and public figures to boost efforts aimed at preventing and counteracting intolerance and discrimination against Christians, Muslims and followers of other religions.

“Today political, religious and public figures should make efforts to prevent intolerance and discrimination on a religious basis. There is nothing worse than sectarian strife and history has shown that many times,” head of Russian delegation to the OSCE PA Pyotr Tolstoy said, as quoted by his press service.

The resolution pointed out each person’s rights on the freedom of thought, religion and beliefs, called for interreligious dialogue and noted that terror attacks committed by followers of a particular religion cannot justify religious intolerance.

The document also focuses on the unacceptability of linking terrorism and violent extremism to a particular religion.