Minority rights-based approaches to the protection and promotion of the rights of religious minorities 2013, para. 79
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The Independent Expert is deeply concerned by rising tides of violent attacks against religious minorities in all regions. Underlying the full enjoyment of rights by religious minorities is the imperative of the enjoyment of security. Article 1 of the Declaration requires that States shall protect the existence of minorities. The primary duty of States in relation to religious minorities is to protect their fundamental rights and security and ensure that State actors themselves are not contributing to the insecurity of those minorities.