Al-Naimi has attended to the first ever Ministerial to advance Religious Freedom, hosted by the US Department of State, from 24-26 September.

24 Jul Al-Naimi has attended to the first ever Ministerial to advance Religious Freedom, hosted by the US Department of State, from 24-26 September.

In his address to the conference, the US Vice President thanked the audience, especially survivors of the massacres present today, and recalled America’s history when immigrants came to seek freedom, especially freedom of worship.

He pointed out that there are many countries that restrict religious freedoms, such as Nicaragua, which violates the Catholic rights. He also cited how China is violently opposing to religious freedom and without any respect for international laws and customs in this regard, some names of Muslims and Buddhists who have been affected by Chinese politics, That North Korea is still violating all the international laws against its citizens for 70 years. Pines declared that America will continue to support religious freedom and will start a program of material support to support religious freedoms for generations to come.

For his part, Foreign Minister Michael Pompeo thanked the audience and expressed his pleasure that about 80 countries have accepted the invitation. He pointed out that he wants all countries around the world to enjoy what the Americans enjoy in the field of religious freedom and stressed that the United States continues to support the affected groups. Of violence, support for pluralism, stressed there is a clear positive development, in that in Pakistan and the Gulf states.

At the panel discussion, Mr. Jared Kouchner, White House senior adviser, spoke about ways to meet challenges and support religious freedoms in many countries fighting religious practices for minorities and religious groups. He called on governments to find ways to support religious freedoms and development to the benefit of religious minorities.

Religious freedom and the rights of women, religious freedom, combating extremism and terrorism, religious freedom and economic prosperity, addressing the legal challenges of religious freedom, advocating equal rights for all, preserving cultural heritage, and providing support and care for victims. Religious violence or persecution.

In his statement, Dr. Al Naimi has underlined the importance of such meeting, which seeks to define clear frame for the promotion of religious freedom. The US government, is cooperating with civil society organizations, religious leaders, Interfaith and intercultural dialogue. He also emphasized the Qatar’s tolerance of religions and cultures, underscoring that Qatari laws and regulations has always promoted religious freedom, while Qatari society is known for its tolerance. The DICID’s Chairman explained that values of tolerance, religious freedom, and acceptance of the other should not be considered as advantages, but rather as rights and moral obligations between human beings.

The participation of the Doha International Centre for Interfaith Dialogue is a part of the efforts of the State of Qatar for promoting values of tolerance and religious freedom in the world, with more than 10 years of local and international experience since it was founded in 2007.

The first and second day of the conference focused on the NGOs and civil society organizations concerned with the issue of human rights and interfaith dialogue, which has shared their experiences, and lesson learned. Discussions also concentrated on how to engage efficient cooperation between NGO’s and civil society, and governments, especially the US, to promote and consolidate religious freedoms.

In his speech on the occasion of the conference, Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al-Naimi said: “The efforts of the State of Qatar to protect religious freedoms are clear and well known, laws and legislations have been enacted to protect them, freedom of belief is guaranteed, freedom of worship is guaranteed, no one harms his religion or sex in Qatar, Only, historically, Qatar has not experienced any discrimination based on religion or sex.

During the conference, the DICID’s chairman has focused on the experience of the State of Qatar regarding the freedom of religious beliefs in Qatari legislation. He said that Qatari legislation regarding freedom of belief and the right to practice religious rites is fully consistent with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The national legislation guarantees the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in many provisions of the permanent constitution and the various laws, as well as the prohibition of racial discrimination

Dr. Al-Naimi stressed that the Qatari legislator equated the Islamic religion with other religions that are protected according to the Islamic Shari’a, namely the Christian and Jewish Sharia, as well as the prohibition against insulting the Islamic religion. It also forbade insulting the Christian and Jewish religions, and forbidding harassment of one of the prophets or exposure to places The establishment of their rituals in any form of exposure, as well as insulting any of them, there is no distinction between the Islamic religion and other religions.

The Chairman of the DICID , referred to a number of constitutional texts and legislation that promote religious freedom, such as the Qatari Permanent Constitution of 2004, which states in the article 35: “All persons are equal before the Law and there shall be no discrimination whatsoever on grounds of gender, race, language or religion”.

The Law No. 8 of 1979 on Publications and Publishing, in the article 47 – f, states:
“Any ridicule of or contempt toward any of the religions or their doctrines, including any motivation of sectarian, racial or religious trends”.
He also quoted the Article (2) of the Decree of the Minister of Information and Culture No. 11 of 1992 on the rules and rules of censorship stipulates that: “No regulatory body in the Ministry of Information and Culture, whether its mission is focused on the printed, and audio-visual. Any act or declaration thereof, if it includes “the depiction of any human race or ethnic group, in a manner that is both ironic. Unless it is necessary to create a positive impression to the noble point of view, “such as anti-apartheid.” Al-Naimi stated that the Qatari Penal Code No. 11/2004 clearly defines, as stated in Chapter Seven Chapter I, the crimes related to religions and the inviolability of the dead in articles (256-267).

Speaking at the opening session of the Conference on the Promotion of Religious Freedom, Mr. Sam Brownback, the Ambassador at-large for religious freedom at the US State Department, spoke about the importance of holding this conference to promote religious freedom around the world and help those in need overcome the challenges they face in their countries.
For his part, Pat Davis, of the US Department of State’s Department of Religious Freedom, spoke about the support and opportunities offered by the US State Department to associations around the world to support the religious movement. They said they have been working for more than 20 years since 1998, and support reached more than 20 million dollars annually.

Closing the meeting of some 350 government officials, religious freedom advocates and others from more than 80 nations, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pointed to an action plan, dubbed the Potomac Declaration that lays out “concrete ways” to protect religious groups around the world.
The plan of action accompanying the declaration calls for the repeal of “inherently subjective” anti-blasphemy laws abroad and the protection of the publication of religious materials. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback called the meeting’s work a demonstration of “a moment where the Iron Curtain prohibiting religious freedom is coming down.”