The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) released today its tenth annual observatory report on Islamophobia at the commencement of the 44th Council of Foreign Ministers conference in Abidjan, Republic of Côte d'Ivoire being held on 10-11 July 2017. The tenth annual report covered the period from October 2016 - May 2017. The Islamophobia Observatory Report describes the increasing trend of Islamophobia under the reviewed period, indicated by the growing fear against Islam and Muslims in certain parts of the world, which led to negative perceptions among non-Muslims. This negative trend, according to the report, was assessed to have been boosted mostly by three factors, namely: The US elections, Immigrant issue in Europe, and the rise of Populism and Far-Rights in Europe. In his foreword to the report, the OIC Secretary General Dr Yousef Al-Othaimeen observed that the 10th Report of the Islamophobia Observatory being released today "vindicates our position that the growing trend of Islamophobia has not subsided in any tangible way." "Muslims have been terrorized and discriminated. Islamic sacred symbols have been insulted. People with Islamic attires were targeted with hatred. Women with hijabs were abused on streets and public spaces. Certain governments outlawed Islamic attires or applied restrictive access for Muslims to have prayer facilities. Right-wing Politicians and media spread evil images of Islam," said Al-Othaimeen. "Acts of radical and extreme groups in the name of Islam have provided xenophobes with excuses to further their agenda. Their statements and acts have not only been irresponsible, but also conducive to the radical narratives of violent groups and terrorists, jeopardizing the positive image of Islam and boosting Islamophobia across the globe," he added. The Secretary General however stressed that the OIC as mandated by the Member States has been active on combating the Islamophobia phenomenon at political, diplomatic, and operational fronts in order to raise awareness among the international community of the threats that the Islamophobia poses to global peace and security. He noted that OIC Member States, together with the international community, need to take more serious actions to address the contemporary challenge of Islamophobia, including by enforcing laws which clearly stand for prohibition of any advocacy of religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence. The tenth annual observatory report on Islamophobia includes four chapters and annex that documented ‘Islamophobia, Intolerance, and Discriminations against Muslims'; ‘Manifestations of Islamophobia' around the world; ‘Positive Developments' in term of actions taken by governments or by non-Muslim individuals against Islamophobes; and the conclusion with a set of recommendation that proposes some steps and actions suggested to be taken by the OIC as well as by the relevant stakeholders including Member States, against Islamophobia. The report also includes an Annex showing a list of Islamophobic incidents that happened around the world under the reviewed period.
