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Resolution 1743 (2010)1
Islam,
Islamism and Islamophobia in Europe

1. The Parliamentary Assembly notes that
Islamic radicalism and manipulation of religious beliefs for
political reasons oppose human rights and democratic values.
At the same time, in many Council of Europe member states,
Muslims feel socially excluded, stigmatised and discriminated
against; they become victims of stereotypes, social
marginalisation and political extremism. The Assembly is
deeply concerned about Islamic extremism as well as about
extremism against Muslim communities in Europe. Both phenomena
reinforce each other.

2. The Assembly recalls that Islamism is the
view that Islam is not only a religion but also a social,
legal and political code of conduct. Islamism can be violent
or mainstream and peaceful, but in both cases it does not
accept the separation between religion and state, which is a
fundamental principle of democratic and pluralistic societies.
The Assembly also recalls that discrimination against Muslims
is unacceptable and must be combated. A great majority of
European Muslims share the principles at the basis of our
societies and it is essential to fight against Islamophobia,
which stems mainly from lack of awareness and from negative
perceptions associating Islam with violence. Failing to
address these issues, many European governments pave the way
to the rise of extremism.

3. Muslims are at home in Europe where they
have been present for many centuries, as the Assembly noted in
its
Recommendation 1162 (1991) on the contribution of the
Islamic civilisation to European culture. Islam, Judaism and
Christianity – the three monotheist religions – share the same
historic and cultural roots and recognise the same fundamental
values, in particular the paramount value of human life and
dignity, the ability and freedom to express thoughts, the
respect for others and their property, and the importance of
social welfare. Those values have been reflected by European
philosophies and have been included in the European Convention
on Human Rights (“the Convention”; ETS No. 5).

4. Article 9 of the Convention guarantees
freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including the
right to manifest one’s religion or belief, either alone or in
community with others, in public or in private, in worship,
teaching, practice and observance. Article 10 of the
Convention enshrines freedom of expression, including the
right to express religious or philosophical views or oppose
and criticise them. Both freedoms constitute the necessary
requirements for a democratic society. However, they are not
absolute and may be subject to limits imposed under strict
control. Moreover, in accordance with Article 17 of the
Convention, they must not be abused for the destruction or
undue limitation of any of the rights and freedoms set forth
in the Convention.

5. The Assembly has already stressed the
importance of reconciling these two freedoms in its
Resolution 1510 (2006) on freedom of expression and
respect for religious beliefs, as well as its
Recommendation 1805 (2007) on blasphemy, religious insults
and hate speech against persons on grounds of their religion.
The Assembly firmly condemns death decrees and threats against
people who criticise Islam or political views linked to Islam.
It regrets, however, the initiatives taken by a number of
United Nations member states that have resulted in the Human
Rights Council adopting resolutions on action against
defamation of religions, and in particular Islam, as this
strategy constitutes a threat to freedom of expression.

6. Recalling its
Recommendation 1804 (2007) on state, religion, secularity
and human rights, the Assembly emphasises that democratic
standards require a separation of the state and its organs
from religions and religious organisations. Governments,
parliaments and public administrations that democratically
reflect and serve their society as a whole must be neutral
towards all religious, agnostic or atheist beliefs.
Nevertheless, religion and democracy are not incompatible, in
particular as religions may play a beneficial social role.
Member states should therefore encourage religious
organisations to support actively peace, tolerance, solidarity
and intercultural dialogue.

7. The Assembly notes with concern, however,
that some Islamic organisations active in member states have
been initiated by governments abroad and receive financial
support and political guidance from those governments. The
objectives of such organisations are hence not religious.
National political expansion into other states under the
disguise of Islam should be brought to light. In keeping with
Article 11 of the Convention, member states can limit the
activities of such organisations on condition that such
limitations satisfy the requirements set forth in paragraph 2
of Article 11. Therefore, member states should require
transparency and accountability of Islamic as well as other
religious associations, for instance by requiring transparency
of their statutory objectives, leadership, membership and
financial resources.

8. As the Assembly indicated in its
Recommendation 1774 (2006) on the Turkish presence in
Europe: migrant workers and new European citizens, member
governments and parliaments as well as the Council of Europe
must give priority to fostering the social inclusion of
Muslims and other religious minorities. The many efforts
undertaken by member states to better integrate migrants are
to be commended, but this integration is often still far from
reality, in particular with regard to Muslim migrants. Thus,
the Assembly invites member states to be proactive in dealing
with social, economic and political inequalities.

9. The Assembly calls on member states to
effectively address the social and economic exclusion of
Muslims and other minorities in Europe – including through the
adoption, implementation and regular monitoring of
comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation, policies and
practices to protect them from the day-to-day discrimination
they face and to ensure better access to legal remedies when
their rights have been violated.

10. While organisational structures of Muslim
communities in member states are desirable in order to
facilitate contacts with governmental and administrative
bodies, member governments and parliaments should also seek to
establish direct political contacts with Muslims as equal
citizens. Such direct contacts could be facilitated, for
example, through public hearings at local and regional levels
as well as through regional and national discussion platforms
on the Internet. Referring to
Recommendation 170 (2005) of the Congress of Local and
Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe on intercultural
and inter-faith dialogue: initiatives and responsibilities of
local authorities, the Assembly calls on national parliaments
to ensure that local authorities in their countries have the
necessary legal, administrative and financial frameworks for
local activities intended to foster social inclusion and
intercultural dialogue.

11. It is necessary that persons belonging to
a minority culture in their country do not isolate themselves
and do not attempt to develop a parallel society. Thus the
Assembly calls on the representatives of the Muslim
communities to encourage intercultural dialogue and fight
against divisions which would otherwise lead to societal
frictions and conflicts. Recalling its
Resolution 1605 (2008) and
Recommendation 1831 (2008) on European Muslim communities
confronted with extremism, the Assembly invites Muslims, their
religious communities and their religious leaders to combat
any form of extremism under the cover of Islam. Islam is a
religion which upholds peace. Muslims should be the first to
react with dismay and opposition when terrorists or political
extremists use Islam for their own power struggle and thus
disrespect the fundamental value of human life and other
values enshrined in Islam.

12. The Assembly deplores that a growing
number of political parties in Europe exploit and encourage
fear of Islam and organise political campaigns which promote
simplistic and negative stereotypes concerning Muslims in
Europe and often equate Islam with extremism. It is
inadmissible to incite intolerance and sometimes even hatred
against Muslims. The Assembly calls on member states to pursue
political action in accordance with General Policy
Recommendation No. 5 (2000) of the European Commission against
Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) on combating intolerance and
discrimination against Muslims. It reiterates that it is for
the member states to reject political statements that stir up
fear and hatred of Muslims and Islam, while complying with the
stipulations of the Convention, in particular Article
10.2.

13. The Assembly also remains concerned at
policies and practices – by both national as well as regional
and local authorities – that discriminate against Muslims and
at the danger of the abuse of popular votes, initiatives and
referenda to legitimise restrictions on the rights to freedom
of religion and expression which are unacceptable under
Articles 9 and 10 of the Convention. In this context, the
Assembly is particularly concerned about the recent referendum
in Switzerland and urges the Swiss authorities to enact a
moratorium on and repeal as soon as possible, the general
prohibition on the construction of minarets for mosques.

14. Recalling its
Resolution 1464 (2005) on women and religion in Europe,
the Assembly calls on all Muslim communities to abandon any
traditional interpretations of Islam which deny gender
equality and limit women’s rights, both within the family and
in public life. This interpretation is not compatible with
human dignity and democratic standards; women are equal to men
in all respects and must be treated accordingly, with no
exceptions. Discrimination against women, whether based on
religious traditions or not, goes against Articles 8, 9 and 14
of the Convention, Article 5 of its Protocol No. 7 and its
Protocol No. 12. No religious or cultural relativism may be
invoked to justify violations of personal integrity. The
Parliamentary Assembly therefore urges member states to take
all necessary measures to stamp out radical Islamism and
Islamophobia, of which women are the prime victims.

15. In this respect, the veiling of women,
especially full veiling through the burqa or the
niqab, is often perceived as a symbol of the
subjugation of women to men, restricting the role of women
within society, limiting their professional life and impeding
their social and economic activities. Neither the full veiling
of women, nor even the headscarf, are recognised by all
Muslims as a religious obligation of Islam, but they are seen
by many as a social and cultural tradition. The Assembly
considers that this tradition could be a threat to women’s
dignity and freedom. No woman should be compelled to wear
religious apparel by her community or family. Any act of
oppression, sequestration or violence constitutes a crime that
must be punished by law. Women victims of these crimes,
whatever their status, must be protected by member states and
benefit from support and rehabilitation measures.

16. For this reason, the possibility of
prohibiting the wearing of the burqa and the
niqab is being considered by parliaments in several
European countries. Article 9 of the Convention includes the
right of individuals to choose freely to wear or not to wear
religious clothing in private or in public. Legal restrictions
to this freedom may be justified where necessary in a
democratic society, in particular for security purposes or
where public or professional functions of individuals require
their religious neutrality or that their face can be seen.
However, a general prohibition of wearing the burqa and
the niqab would deny women who freely desire to do so
their right to cover their face.

17. In addition, a general prohibition might
have the adverse effect of generating family and community
pressure on Muslim women to stay at home and confine
themselves to contacts with other women. Muslim women could be
further excluded if they were to leave educational
institutions, stay away from public places and abandon work
outside their communities, in order not to break with their
family tradition. Therefore, the Assembly calls on member
states to develop targeted policies intended to raise Muslim
women’s awareness of their rights, help them to take part in
public life and offer them equal opportunities to pursue a
professional life and gain social and economic independence.
In this respect, the education of young Muslim women as well
as of their parents and families is crucial. It is especially
necessary to remove all forms of discrimination against girls
and to develop education on gender equality, without
stereotypes and at all levels of the education system.

18. Female genital mutilation under the
pretext of Islamic or other customs should be considered as a
crime as it violates the right to physical and moral integrity
of all individuals and especially of girls. Member states must
do their utmost to put an end to this crime and provide
practical help to children and their parents, including in
particular through education. The Assembly recalls in this
context its
Resolution 1247 (2001) on female genital mutilation.

19. The Assembly accordingly urges member
states to take every step to prevent and combat all forms of
oppression or violence undergone by women and, in particular,
as part of the negotiations for the future Council of Europe
convention on preventing and combating violence against women
and domestic violence, to support the provisions enabling
women irrespective of their origin or status to have access to
protection, prevention and rehabilitation facilities.

20. Stereotypes, misunderstandings and fears
with regard to Islam are typical symptoms of a widespread lack
of adequate knowledge among non-Muslims in Europe. Similarly,
many Muslims in Europe lack adequate knowledge of Islam let
alone other religions, which can make them vulnerable to
“Islamism” as a religiously disguised form of political
extremism. In this context, the Assembly recalls its
Recommendation 1720 (2005) on education and religion and
calls on member states to ensure that knowledge about Islam,
Judaism and Christianity is taught at school and through
lifelong education.

21. Teaching about religions should be
supported by member states, to raise public awareness of the
common origin and values of Judaism, Christianity and Islam
and their impact on modern European humanism. Institutions of
higher education and research in Europe should provide Islamic
studies in order to educate religious scholars, teachers and
leaders and distinguish Islam from Islamism. The Assembly is
confident that most European Muslims accept a common approach
reconciling Islam with democratic values, human rights and the
rule of law; indeed, many have done so for a long time.

22. The Assembly also welcomes the White
Paper on Intercultural Dialogue prepared by the Council of
Europe during the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue in
2008 as well as other activities by the Committee of Ministers
in this field. Member governments should use the White Paper
in their related national action, including in schools and
educational institutions.

23. It is important to create synergies with
other international organisations in this respect. Therefore,
the Assembly invites the United Nations Alliance of
Civilizations to co-operate more closely with the Council of
Europe, in particular by setting up joint programmes of
action. In this context, the Assembly invites the Secretary
General of the Council of Europe to seek additional funding
for such activities through member states and facilitate
reciprocal secondment of staff between the two
organisations.

24. The Assembly invites the Islamic
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) and
the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific
Organization (ALECSO) to work with the Council of Europe on
combating Islamism and Islamophobia or other religious
discrimination as well as on promoting the respect for
universal human rights. ISESCO and ALESCO can be particularly
important in ensuring that their members respect the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)
and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights (ICESCR) of the United Nations.

25. In this context, the Assembly regrets
that some member governments of ISESCO and ALECSO have adopted
national legislation based on an interpretation of Sharia law
or have pursued national policies which are in conflict with
the ICCPR and the ICESCR: imposing severe penalties or even
the death penalty on persons wishing to adopt a religion other
than Islam is incompatible with Article 18 (2) ICCPR; imposing
severe sanctions on, or passing public death decrees against,
persons who have criticised Islam is incompatible with Article
19 of the ICCPR; calling for a “holy war” or violence against
other countries or their citizens and glorifying terrorists as
“holy martyrs” is incompatible with Article 20 (2) of the
ICCPR; educating children to hate or fight persons of faiths
other than Islam is incompatible with Article 13 (1) of the
ICESCR.

26. Contacts between Muslim and non-Muslim
Europeans and Muslims in North Africa, the Middle East and
Asia should be facilitated, in particular among young people,
students and teachers. The Assembly invites, therefore, the
European Youth Forum to expand its activities in this field.
Co-operation between educational and cultural institutions as
well as cities around the Mediterranean Basin should be
supported, for instance in the framework of the Convention on
the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education
in the European Region (ETS No. 165) and the European Outline
Convention on Transfrontier Co-operation between Territorial
Communities or Authorities (CETS No. 106).

1. Assembly debate on 23 June 2010
(23rd Sitting) (see Doc.
12266, report of the Committee on Culture, Science and
Education, rapporteur: Mr Mogens Jensen; Doc.
12303, opinion of the Political Affairs Committee,
rapporteur: Mr Hancock; Doc.
12305, opinion of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human
Rights, rapporteur: Mr Rafael Huseynov; and Doc.
12304, opinion of the Committee on Equal Opportunities for
Women and Men, rapporteur: Mrs Memecan). Text adopted
unanimously by the Assembly on 23 June 2010 (23rd
Sitting). See also
Recommendation 1927 (2010).

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