The State of  Qatar has underlined the importance of promoting the right to freedom of “religion or belief” and “opinion and expression.”
It stressed its keenness to adopt this constructive approach through efforts of the Doha International Centre for Interfaith Dialogue.   
This came  in a speech delivered by HE Sheikh Khalid bin Jassim al-Thani, Director of the Human Rights Department at the Foreign Ministry, at the 31st session of the UN Human Rights Council, being  held from 29 February to 24 March, under item (3) titled: “Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief.”
Sheikh Khalid bin Jassim al-Thani said: “We agree with the report by Heiner Bielefeldt, Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, on the close relationship between the right to freedom of religion or belief and the right to freedom of opinion and expression,” stressing that the positive practice for both the rights can contribute to strengthening both of them.
He noted  that the Human Rights Council Resolution 16/18, which aims to combat intolerance and discrimination and incitement to violence, which resulted in the formation Istanbul Initiative is an active framework, adding that Qatar had supported  this initiative and hosted the fourth meeting of the initiative of Istanbul, which was held in Doha in March 2014, and actively participated in the fifth meeting of the Istanbul initiative, which was held at the Organisation of Islamic co-operation in Jeddah in June 2015, he added.