The optimists will say that the General Assembly vote trend on Defamation of Religions resolutions favors freedom. I am not so optimistic. Only eight votes swung in our favor between '08 & '09 and the abstention trend was flat. The slope of the yes vote line seems flatter this year compared to the previous decline. The quantitative growth has been in abstentions, not negations. Abstentions have no effect on the outcome. Unfortunately, a plurality still supports the resolutions, voting against freedom of religion and expression.
2005 101 53 20
2006 111 54 18
Wikipedia
2007 108 51 25
2008 86 53 42
2009 80 61 42*
ACLJ * ACLJ shows 42 abstentions, the UN tally shows 43.
Yes votes
|
 |
| No votes |
 |
| Abstentions |
 |
If the current trend holds, the resolution could be defeated in '11. but I do not expect that to happen. I expect that, if the vote grows closer. many member states will jump from abstention to the yes column. If they wanted the resolution to fail, they would vote no instead of abstaining.
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