May 2013, Germany
Anti-religion groups have created a climate hostile to frank discourse. Besides defamation campaigns and negative stereotyping, hate incidents have come to the Observatory’s notice. Activists physically prevented a professor to enter an auditorium to voice deviating views. Anti-religion slogans and images are often used in hurtful manners, such as the public destruction of crosses, the image of Jesus as a crucified pig, or slogans such as “We are here to hurt your feelings” or “If Mary had had an abortion, we would have been spared people like you”. Read more ...
May 2013, Sweden
According to the Education Act (2010:800) homeschooling is practically forbidden in Sweden. Homeschooling is allowed only when exceptional circumstances apply, which is hardly ever granted. According to the preparatory work of the government bill, permissions should be granted with great restraint, stating explicitly that religious and philosophical reasons are not to be considered as exceptional circumstances. Read more ...
March 2013, Netherlands
A Christian foundation for working with youth surprisingly lost its license to serve coffee and soda on the grounds that the youth center was a gastronomical enterprise running on deficit and other permits would be necessary than for non-profit activities. This was perceived as a governmental anti-Christian repression and is now debated in court. Read more ...
January 2013, France
A child at a Catholic school in France punished for refusing to memorise a verse of the Koran in January 2013. At the school of Notre Dame de St Mihiel in the Meuse, Lorraine, France a pupil refused to memorise a verse of the Koran as a part of a class on Islam. Two mothers arranged a meeting with the teacher to explain their disagreement with the the punishment. Instead of removing the punishment or allowing the student to opt-out of the class the school director informed the mother of the punished child that she considers removing the child from the school.
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January 2013, United Kingdom
Lillian Ladele, a Christian registrar, was disciplined because of her stance on civil partnerships. The European Court of Human Rights dismissed Ladele application on January 15th, 2013 and left the balancing out of rights to the national authorities.
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