Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief

Individual complaints and model questionnaire
of the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom
of religion or belief

The UN Commission on Human Rights and the UN General Assembly have encouraged "the continuing efforts in all parts of the world of the Special Rapporteur to examine incidents and governmental actions that are incompatible with the provisions of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief and to recommend remedial measures, as appropriate" (Commission on Human Rights resolution 2005/40 and General Assembly resolution 61/161).

Therefore, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief would like to reiterate her invitation to governmental and non-governmental, religious and non-religious organizations as well as individuals to submit to her any reliable information they may possess with regard to potential or actual violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief. Subsequently, the Special Rapporteur may raise her concerns about the incidents reported and request Governments to make observations and comments on the matter. The Special Rapporteur monitors the compliance of States with their obligations, as developed in Commission on Human Rights resolution 2005/40:

"(a) To ensure that their constitutional and legislative systems provide adequate and effective guarantees of freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief to all without distinction, inter alia by the provision of effective remedies in cases where the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, the right to practise freely one's religion, including the right to change one's religion or belief, is violated;

(b) To exert the utmost efforts, in accordance with their national legislation and in conformity with international human rights law, to ensure that religious places, sites, shrines and religious expressions are fully respected and protected and to take additional measures in cases where they are vulnerable to desecration or destruction;

(c) To review, whenever relevant, existing registration practices in order to ensure the right of all persons to manifest their religion or belief, alone or in community with others and in public or in private;

(d) To ensure, in particular, the right of all persons to worship or assemble in connection with a religion or belief and to establish and maintain places for these purposes, as well as the right of all persons to write, issue and disseminate relevant publications in these areas, taking into account the limitations contained in article 29 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights;

(e) To ensure that, in accordance with appropriate national legislation and in conformity with international human rights law, the freedom for all persons and members of groups to establish and maintain religious, charitable or humanitarian institutions is fully respected and protected;

(f) To ensure that no one within their jurisdiction is deprived of the right to life, liberty, or security of person because of religion or belief and that no one is subjected to torture or arbitrary arrest or detention on that account, and to bring to justice all perpetrators of violations of these rights;

(g) To ensure that all public officials and civil servants, including members of law enforcement bodies, the military and educators, in the course of their official duties, respect different religions and beliefs and do not discriminate on the grounds of religion or belief, and that all necessary and appropriate education or training is provided;

[. The Commission on Human Rights also] stresses the need for the Special Rapporteur to continue to apply a gender perspective, inter alia through the identification of gender-specific abuses, in the reporting process, including information collection and in recommendations."

Model questionnaire

For this purpose the Special Rapporteur has developed a model questionnaire to facilitate the submission of information.

• Model questionnaire in English
• Questionnaire en français
• Cuestionario modelo en Espagnol

Although communications are also considered when they are not submitted in the form of this model questionnaire, the Special Rapporteur would be grateful for receiving information tailored to her mandate. The objective of this questionnaire is to have access to precise information on alleged violations of the rights to freedom of religion or belief. If any information contained in the questionnaire should be kept confidential please mark "CONFIDENTIAL" beside the relevant entry. Do not hesitate to attach additional sheets, if the space provided is not sufficient. If you have any questions concerning the completion of this form, please feel free to contact the Special Rapporteur. She has also developed a framework for communications which details the applicable international legal standards. An online digest of this framework together with pertinent excerpts of the Special Rapporteurs' reports is available here .

The complaint should be sent to

Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief
c/o Office Of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations at Geneva
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
Fax: (+41 22) 917 90 06

E-mail: freedomofreligion@ohchr.org or to urgent-action@ohchr.org (please include in the subject box: Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief)

Please note, that as a general rule, the existence and content of both urgent appeals and letters of allegation remain confidential until a summary of such communications and the replies received from the State concerned are included in the Special Rapporteur's annual report to the Human Rights Council.