The UN Human Rights Council narrowly passed a resolution condemning Islamophobic behavior, including Switzerland's minaret building ban, despite some states' major reservations.
The resolution, which was criticized by the United States as "an instrument of division", "strongly condemns... the ban on the construction of minarets of mosques and other recent discriminatory measures."
In a November referendum Swiss citizens voted to ban the construction of new minarets, a move that drew criticisms worldwide.
Such measures "are manifestations of Islamophobia that stand in sharp contradiction to international human rights obligations concerning freedoms of religions," said the resolution.
Such acts would "fuel discrimination, extremism and misperception leading to polarization and fragmentation with dangerous unintended and unforeseen consequences," it charged.
Some 20 countries voted in favor of the resolution entitled "combating defamation of religions", 17 voted against and eight abstained.
The resolution also "expresses deep concern ... that Islam is frequently and wrongly associated with human rights violations and terrorism."
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