78th Session of the Third Committee of the General Assembly
Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief
Statement of the Nordic-Baltic States, delivered by H.E. Mr. Rytis Paulauskas, Permanent Representative of Lithuania
26 October 2023
Mr. Chair,
I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic States: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Norway, Sweden and my own country Lithuania.
We thank the Special Rapporteur for her comprehensive report which discusses how the range of authorities and actors affect enjoyment of freedom of religion or belief at the domestic level.
We strongly condemn all forms of intolerance and discrimination against individuals, including those based on religion or belief. We also disassociate ourselves from all actions by individuals, which only aim is to hurt and provoke.
We firmly believe that freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression are interdependent, interrelated and mutually reinforcing rights, protecting all persons, not religions or beliefs in themselves. Together these human rights are the basis for fighting all forms of intolerance and discrimination.
We remain fully committed in our collective efforts to promote and protect these rights. Common dialogue is key. The Nordic Baltic countries remain most engaged to keep these conversations going.
This report comes in very timely, as some actors increasingly misuse religion and instigate interreligious rivalry for political purposes. This contributes to acts of discrimination, hate speech, violence, and conflict, and leads to polarized discourse both at national and international level.
Madame Special Rapporteur,
Internet and social media platforms are increasingly used to spread disinformation and inflammatory narratives. How can we reduce the potential harm and build resilience towards these narratives, without jeopardizing freedom of expression?
