The US Commission on International Religious Freedom in Washington called the UN debate a dangerous idea of protecting religions from defamation.
It said the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) has been pushing through the UN system "the problematic idea" of new legislation against "defamation of religion." It warned it could provide justification for governments to restrict freedoms of religion and expression.
Hillel Heuer, executive director of UN Watch, a Geneva-based human rights group, said the draft is "the latest salvo in a pervasive campaign waged by Islamic states at the UN to declare that the primary victim of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks was Islam."