Marking an international day to combat Islamophobia, Guterres is opposed to prejudice, xenophobia and discrimination.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed concern over the “disquiet rise in anti-Muslim prejudice” and has called on the government to protect religious freedom and to curb hate speech.
Guterres made his remarks on Saturday to commemorate International Day to combat Islamophobia, which was marked annually on March 15th.
Rights groups around the world and the United Nations have been paying attention to the rise in Islamophobia, anti-Arab bias and anti-Semitism since the start of Israel’s 17-month war in Gaza.
“We are witnessing a disturbing rise in anti-Muslim bias. In a video post from X, the UN chief said, “From racial profiling and discriminatory policies that violate human rights and dignity to complete violence against individuals and places of worship, “This is part of the broader tragedy of attacks on intolerance, extremist ideology, religious groups, and vulnerable groups.”
He called on the government to “promote social cohesion and protect religious freedom” without designating any country.
“Online platforms need to curb hate speech and harassment, and we all have to oppose prejudice, xenophobia and discrimination,” he added.
We witness a disturbing rise in anti-Muslim prejudice, part of the broader tragedy of intolerance and attacks against religious groups and vulnerable people.
Let’s work together to maintain equality, human rights and dignity on this international day to combat Islamophobia. pic.twitter.com/qio1tewme5
– Antonio Guterres (@antonioguterres) March 15, 2025
Meanwhile, UN Governor Miguel Angel Moratinos said Muslims face “institutional discrimination and socioeconomic restrictions.”
“This bias is manifested in the stigmatization and unjust racial profiling of Muslims, and is reinforced by biased media expression and the anti-Muslim rhetoric and policy of some political leaders,” he said in his speech to the UN General Assembly.
Rights advocates have long been concerned about the stigma facing Muslims and Arabs due to the way some people confuse those communities with armed groups.
Now many pro-Palestinian activists, including Western countries such as the United States, have complained and said their defense of Palestinian rights has been mislabeled by critics as support for Hamas in Gaza.
In recent weeks, Rights Watchdog has released data focusing on the record level of anti-Muslim hate incidents and hate speeches, particularly in countries such as the UK, the US and India.
A report released Tuesday by the Council on US and Islamic Relations (CAIR) said 8,658 complaints about anti-Muslim and anti-Arab cases last year (an increase of 7.4% year-on-year) were the highest since 1996 when data began compiling.
