Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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296. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will meet the ambassador from India to express the Government’s outrage at recent and escalating calls by members and supporters of President Modi’s party in Haridwar and Delhi for the large-scale elimination of Muslims (details supplied); if he will use Ireland’s position on the United Nations Security Council to call for international sanctions against the Modi regime for encouraging such calls; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27466/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Ireland strongly condemns all forms of persecution on the basis of religion or belief, irrespective of where they occur or who the victims are.

The promotion of freedom of religion or belief is a priority for Ireland’s human rights engagement at both multilateral and bilateral levels, as reaffirmed in ‘The Global Island: Ireland’s Foreign Policy for a Changing World’. Ireland calls on all governments to ensure that all of their citizens, regardless of their religion or belief, enjoy full civil and political rights.

This is of relevance in relation to India, which has the third-largest Muslim population in the world. I am concerned about recent instances of intercommunal tension, including the destruction of shops and businesses, and the Delhi Riots of 2020 which led to dozens of deaths. The Embassy of Ireland in India, together with our European Union partners, monitors human rights protections and concerns in India, and engages with the Indian Government on these issues. The European Union and India also hold regular Human Rights Dialogues. At the most recent Dialogue in 2021, a broad range of issues was covered, including freedom of religion or belief. 

Ireland has been active in supporting EU-led resolutions on freedom of religion or belief at both the UN Human Rights Council and at the UN General Assembly. Ireland’s approach on the UN Security Council is informed by our record as a country with a consistent, principled and independent foreign policy. We will continue to put forward our perspectives on all issues on the Council agenda, including UN sanctions.