GENEVA: The UAE’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) and other International Organisations in Geneva, Obaid Salem Al Zaabi, stated that the UAE is addressing the issue of racial profiling through law.
He highlighted Federal Law No. 2 (2015) on combating discrimination and hatred, which criminalises religious contempt and other forms of discrimination between individuals and groups on the basis of religion, belief, ethnicity, colour or race. It also combats the use of religion in seeking to place blame upon peoples and groups.
Al Zaabi said the UAE is seeking to adopt policies for raising awareness about the culture of tolerance, during the UAE’s speech at the 34th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, from 27th February to 24th March, 2017, made during a panel discussion on racial profiling and the incitement of hatred.
Ministry of Tolerance
He also highlighted the establishment of a Ministry for Tolerance in 2016, reflecting the promotion of co-existence, dialogue and the values of cultural pluralism, as well as rejecting all types of extremism, hatred and violence.
He thanked the participating experts for their valuable analysis in seeking the reasons for racial profiling and the incitement of hatred, and in considering the exchange of best practices and evaluating the development that concerns legal and political responses, and to reach useful recommendations that will enable concerned countries to combat racial profiling, according to the law and respect for human rights.
He stressed that the main feature of racial profiling is the discriminatory practice by law enforcement officials, to target individuals on the basis of race, religion or national origin, along with other features.
He added that increased cases of unethical practices are considered as matters of concern, while stressing that such practices are driven by personal behaviours, highlighting the lack of suitable legislation, which encourages impunity among law enforcement officials and a lack of accountability.
– By Rajive Singh + Wam