Following Austria’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR)* Outcome, Humanists International and the Humanistischer Verband Österreich jointly delivered a statement welcoming Austria’s engagement with the UPR process as well as its consideration of recommendations concerning human rights protection, equality and non-discrimination.
The intervention focused on the structural privilege that religious institutions in Austria enjoy in education, public funding, and public representation, while also expressing concern over the restriction of freedom of expression, particularly on the criticism of religion. The statement urged Austria to strengthen state neutrality in matters of religion and belief, review the de facto “blasphemy” law, and to ensure equal treatment of religious, non-religious, and humanist communities in law, education, public consultation and public funding.
“Blasphemy” laws, either express or defacto, are in conflict with international human rights standards. The UN Human Rights Committee has stated, in its General Comment No. 34, that prohibitions of displays of lack of respect for a religion or other system of belief, including blasphemy laws, are incompatible with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In recent years a number of European states, including Ireland, Norway, Malta, and Greece, have repealed their blasphemy laws, leaving Austria among a shrinking group of European countries that retain and enforce such a provision. In 2018, the European Court of Human Rights upheld a conviction under Section 188 of the Austrian Criminal Code in E.S. v Austria.
Dr. Andreas Gradert delivered the statement on behalf of the Humanistischer Verband Österreich (Humanist Association of Austria), a member organization of Humanists International. This continues Humanists International’s long tradition of supporting its members in meaningfully engaging with UPR processes at the UN.
*The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a UN process which involves a periodic review of the human rights records of all 193 UN Member States, by each other. It is a unique human rights mechanism in so far as it addresses all countries and all human rights. The Working Group on the UPR, which is composed of the Human Rights Council’s 47 Member States and chaired by the Human Rights Council President, conducts country reviews. Humanists International supports its members in engagement with the process.
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