#HRC46 GD item 2 on the impacts of Covid-19 restrictions on religious freedom and minority rights

Oral Statement on General Debate agenda item 2 NGO: Jubilee Campaign Speaker: Sydney K. Presented 1 March 2021, 38th Speaker at 00:58:50 | http://webtv.un.org/meetings-events/w... Statement: The Jubilee Campaign thanks the UN High Commissioner for the report on the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on the enjoyment of human rights around the world. Jubilee Campaign has raised concerns regarding how the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities and discrimination. Firstly, several governments have used the time of the pandemic to further crackdown on religious minorities. In Nepal in the wake of the pandemic police authorities arrested Pastor Keshav for sharing sermons online and did not grant him bail until after three months. Article 18 reports how Iran, immediately after the lockdowns were lifted, accelerated their arrests of Christian converts and extended their persecution to include religious activities both offline and online. In Mid-2020 they noted at least 85 arrests compared to 65 arrests of Christian converts for the whole of 2019. In Myanmar, the Myanmar Army continued to breach ceasefire rules. In Nigeria, Kano police continue to detain humanist Mubarak Bala and have refused to comply with the Abuja High Court decision which called for Bala’s immediate release. Secondly, Covid-19 lockdowns have resulted in delayed justice – such as in the case of Shafqat and Shagufta whose appeal hearing has been postponed over four times. We urge Pakistan to ensure the judicial conclusion of their case and their immediate release. At the same time there have been some good practices, we would like to thank the International Religious Freedom or Belief alliance for advocating for the release of religious prisoners of conscience during the pandemic and states for responding to the call and releasing religious prisoners of conscience for humanitarian if not for human rights reasons. Thank you.