Australia thanks the Special Rapporteur for her report on combating the glorification of Nazism.

Australia unequivocally condemns all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia or related intolerance, including Nazism and neo-Nazism. Sadly, our world has not fully rid itself from the legacy of Nazism which can still be found today.

As first raised in the Special Rapporteur’s report to the fiftieth session of the Human Rights Council, and again in your report to the General Assembly, Australia is deeply concerned that the Russian Federation has sought to justify its unilateral, illegal and immoral aggression against the people of Ukraine on the purported basis of eliminating neo-Nazism. This is a blatant instrumentalization of the serious human rights concerns raised by neo-Nazi mobilizations where they exist, and an affront to international law.

In your report, you also refer to the upsurge in religious based intolerance and violence. In particular, we share your concerns regarding the worrying rise of anti-Semitic incidents. However, we do not agree with your recommendation for States to suspend adoption and promotion of the IHRA’s working definition of antisemitism, which Australia embraces.

Anti-Semitism is a violation of the universal right to freedom of religion or belief and a manifestation of racism, xenophobia, religious intolerance and discrimination. Addressing anti-Semitic hatred and violence needs to be countered by the international community as a whole.