61st Regular Session of the Human Rights Council Item 3: Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief

Mr. President,

My Delegation takes note of the Special Rapporteur’s presentation on the relationship between religious freedom, death and honouring the deceased,[1] and appreciates the report’s recognition of the respect owed to the deceased, and the related responsibilities of their families and communities.[2] 

For many believers burying the dead is a religious obligation. For the Catholic Church it is an act of charity and justice, as well as a fundamental manifestation of the belief in the afterlife. Burial rites are not mere formalities, but a confirmation that the human body is an integral part of a person’s identity and possesses a transcendent dignity that remains even after death.[3]

My Delegation wishes to offer three specific remarks: 

1.     The desecration of cemeteries must be recognized as far more than just property damage. It violates the right to freedom of religion or belief, as it destroys a sacred space where the faithful fulfil their religious duty and moral obligation to honour their deceased loved ones. The idea of “blind equality”, which treats cemeteries as mere real estate must be rejected in favour of recognising that these places of prayer and remembrance are essential to the realisation of human rights.
2.      Burial rites and the timely return of remains must never be used as tools of political pressure.[4] Such practices reduce the deceased into objects of exchange, violate their inherent dignity, while inflicting a ‘spiritual trauma’ on the bereaved. 
3.     Above all, freedom of religion or belief must be protected, especially during the most vulnerable moments of life. The right of the dying to receive spiritual assistance, and of the bereaved to be supported by their faith community, are not merely private comforts; they are essential manifestations of respect for religious belief. Denying this access violates the God-given dignity of the human person in their greatest time of need.

Thank you, Mr. President.