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Ammon News - Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi discussed Tuesday international efforts to enact laws that would criminalise and prevent insulting religious symbols and sanctities.

Safadi discussed, in a recorded speech at an emergency session held by the Human Rights Council in Geneva on acts of religious hatred, the "need" to counter acts of hatred in all its forms.

In the session, which was held at the request of the Arab countries and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation following the burning of the Quran, Safadi said: "This is a joint responsibility that we must affirm our commitment to today through an explicit condemnation of the crime of burning a copy of the Holy Qur'an and immediate action to enact laws that criminalise and prevent it."

Safadi added that tackling hatred and discrimination is a "necessity to perpetuate the culture of peace and common human values."

He said that respecting the other and its religious symbols and promoting a culture of peace and dialogue are well-established Islamic values and that "burning a copy of the Holy Qur'an is a violation of these values."

Safadi added that burning the Holy Qur'an is a hate crime that "cannot" be justified within the context of freedom of expression.

He voiced Jordan's call to stop provocative and extremist actions and criminalise them as incitement to violence and hatred.

He referred to the UN resolutions that call for global efforts to promote tolerance, peace and dialogue among civilisations and the resolutions of the Human Rights Council concerned with addressing the challenges of intolerance and incitement to hatred and violence on religious grounds.

The session saw the participation of member states and observers of the Human Rights Council and civil society organisations.