International legal protection of religious sites

Authors

  • Assistant Professor . Samar Abdullah Huwaidi Al-muthanna University -College of Science Author
  • Researcher Ali Mohammed Hussein Al-Muthanna Electricity Distribution Department Author
  • Assistant Professor . Hanan Hassan Mallah Al-Muthanna University / College of Law Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.64184/ajlps.V3.I1.Y2026.P277-300.238

Keywords:

Islamic religion, International protection, International law, Sacred things

Abstract

                     Religious sanctities are considered part of the spiritual beliefs of man and an integral part of his life and basic being. Any assault or violation of it, whether in word or deed, is considered an attack on his person, his thoughts, and all religious matters related to him Therefore, organizations and countries have sought to establish legal mechanisms and rules that work to protect religious sanctities from any attack that may affect them, whether this attack is actual or verbal, through what some extremist groups are doing  Who publishes articles or topics that include insults to other religions, including Islam, Therefore, in this research, we will attempt to demonstrate the extent of legal and international protection provided for religious sanctities to ensure their safety from the violations that they face and to work to provide legal protection for them.

References

Sources

First: Books

1- Al-Raghib Al-Isfahani, Mufradat Alfaz al-Qur’an, 2nd Edition, Dar Al-Qalam – Al-Dar Al-Shamiya, Damascus, 2009, Vol. 1, 4th Edition.

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5- Basil Youssef, Protection of Human Rights, 18th Conference of the Arab Lawyers Union, Morocco, 1993.

6- Abdullah Ali Abbo Sultan, The Role of International Criminal Law in the Protection of Human Rights, Dar Dijla, Amman, 2010.

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8- Muhammad Abu Bakr Al-Razi, Mukhtar Al-Sihah, edited by Saeed Mahmoud Aqeel, Dar Al-Jabal, Beirut, 1st Edition, 2001.

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12- Nawal Ahmed Basaj, International Humanitarian Law and the Protection of Civilians and Civilian Objects during Armed Conflicts, Al-Halabi Legal Publications, 1st Edition, 2010.

Second: Research Papers:

13- Belkheir Sdeed, “International Legal Mechanisms for Combating Offenses against Religious Sanctities,” Journal of Islamic Sciences and Civilization, Vol. 7, No. 3, 2022, Algeria.

14- Talaish Khaled & Shakirin Dilmi, “Israeli Violations against Civilian Objects and Islamic Sanctities in Jerusalem,” Academic Journal for Legal and Political Research, Vol. 5, No. 1, 2021..

15- Hussein Muhammad Kareem, “Guarantees and Applications of International Protection for the Freedom of Practicing Religious Rites,” Journal of the Islamic University College, Issue 43, Vol. 11, Part 2, 2017..

16- Shafiqa Al-Arbawi, “Mechanisms for Combating Western Insults to the Prophet (PBUH),” Journal of Islamic Sciences and Civilization, Vol. 7, No. 3, 2022, Algeria..

17- Tahari Hanan & Lakhal Aisha, “United Nations Efforts at the International Level to Establish Protection for Religious Sanctities,” Journal of Islamic Sciences and Civilization, Vol. 7, No. 3, 2022, Algeria..

18- Amer Abdul Hussein Abbas, “The Principle of Military Necessity in International Humanitarian Law,” Kufa Studies Center Journal, Issue 55, 2019, University of Kufa.

19- Alaa Abdul Hussein Al-Anzi & Su’ddad Taha Al-Obaidi, “The Concept of International Protection of Human Rights and the Challenges It Faces,” Al-Muhaqqiq Al-Hilli Journal for Legal and Political Sciences, Vol. 6, No. 2, 30 June 2014, College of Law, University of Babylon.

20- Qahqah Walid, “International Criminal Protection of Religious Sanctities,” Journal of Social and Political Sciences, Issue 13, University of Tebessa, Algeria, 2017..

21- Masoudi Asmaa, “Religious Sanctities in Islam: A Statistical and Analytical Study of Quranic Verses,” Journal of Islamic Sciences and Civilization, Vol. 7, No. 3 (Special Issue), Algeria, 2022..

22- Muhammad Al-Burj & Al-Eid Al-Ra‘i, “Legal Protection of Religious Sanctities (A Study in Light of Algerian Law and International Conventions),” Journal of Islamic Sciences and Civilization, Vol. 7, No. 3, 2022, Algeria..

Third: Theses and Dissertations

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24- Tariq Muhammad Maftah Al-Hami, Freedom of Religion and Practicing Religious Rites in Libyan Criminal Legislation (A Comparative Study), Master’s Thesis, University of Tripoli, Faculty of Law, Libya, 2013..

25- La‘li Yahiawi, Protection of Religious Sanctities in Non-Islamic States (A Comparative Study between Islamic Jurisprudence and General Criminal Law), Master’s Thesis, University of Hadj Lakhdar Batna, Algeria, 2009..

26- Muhad Mustafa, International Protection of Religious Sanctities, Master’s Thesis, Ziane Achour University – Djelfa, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, Algeria, 2021..

Fourth: Legislation (International Conventions, Laws, Regulations, and Instructions)

27- Hague Convention of 18 October 1907 respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land..

28- Geneva Convention IV of 1949 relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War..

29- Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, 1954..

-International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966.30

31- UNESCO Convention of 1970 on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export, and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property.

.Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, 1977.32

. .Additional Protocol II to the Geneva Conventions, 197733

34-Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, adopted in Rome on 17 July 1998..

Fifth: Resolutions, Declarations, and Official Documents

35. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948.

36. United Nations Security Council Resolution 271 of 1969, which condemned Israel for burning the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Palestine in 1969.

37. Declaration adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1981 on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief.

38. Draft of the International Law Commission, 2001.

39- Resolution of the International Commission on Human Rights of April 13, 2005 to combat abuse and denigration of religions.

Sixth: Articles

40- Tayebi Warda, “The Role of International Humanitarian Law in Protecting Cultural Property (Occupied Jerusalem),” Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, University of Badji Mokhtar, Algeria, 2024.

Seventh: Websites

41- Baha Mahmoud, “Risks of Extremism,” 13 September 2023, Future for Advanced Research and Studies, available at: http://www.futureuae.com

42- Alaa Ibrahim Mahmoud Al-Husseini, “The Crime of Violating the Sanctity of Holy Religious Sites (Al-Baqi' as a Model),” 22 October 2016, available at: http://ademrights.org

43- Research Article by Abdel-Moghith Jebran, 2 October 2014, available at: http://www.hespress.com

“44- The Second Samarra Bombing (Backgrounds and Implications),” Documentary and Information Center publication, available at: http://annabaa-org

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46- Official Website of the United Nations, 13 April 2005, available at: http://news.un.org

47- Official Website of the UN General Assembly, available at: http://www.un.org

48- Official Website of the UN Human Rights Committee, available at: http://www.ohchr.org

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Published

2026-04-02

How to Cite

International legal protection of religious sites. (2026). Ashur Journal of Legal and Political Sciences Is Issued by the Iraqi Association of Legal Sciences, 3(1), 277-300. https://doi.org/10.64184/ajlps.V3.I1.Y2026.P277-300.238

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