All cases
Two Church Fires in a Weekend in Narón
June 11, 2016, SpainIn the early hours of Friday, June 10th to Saturday, June 11, two clearly intentional fires were discovered in two different churches in Narón. Each resulted in significant damage to the religious buildings. Incendiary devices were found in both churches. The fires were investigated by agents of the state security forces, as well as the local Narón police.
Holy See Urges OSCE and Council of Europe to Pay Attention to Discrimination Against Christians
June 9, 2016, European Institutions (EU, ECHR, et.al.)The Holy See’s Permanent Representative to UN offices in Vienna, Msgr. Janusz Urbanczyk, has urged the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe to pay greater attention to discrimination against Europe’s Christians.
Parliamentary Report Finds Inadequate Assessment of Religion-Based Asylum Claims
June 7, 2016, United KingdomThe All Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief released a 35-page report in which it said the questions used to assess conversion asylum claims demonstrated a "lack of understanding and misperceptions of religion."
Christian Union Banned From Holding Meetings on College Premises
June 7, 2016, United KingdomA Christian union has been banned from holding meetings on college premises, as a result of the government’s counter-terrorism strategy "Prevent".
Islamists Attack Christian Refugees
June 7, 2016, GermanyA group of 30 thirty people, led by a self-proclaimed imam, attacked a Syrian Christian and his roommate at the Rottach-Egern refugee accommodation.
Relic of Pope John Paul II Stolen from Cologne Cathedral
June 5, 2016, GermanyGerman police report that unknown perpetrators stole a small piece of fabric with a drop of the Pope's blood.
Christian Refugees in Austria Harassed and Threatened
June 5, 2016, AustriaChristian refugees in various accommodation centers in Austria endured abuse at the hands of Muslim fellow refugees, including being forced to wake early in the morning to pray, being told they were impure, having belongings stolen, and instances of physical violence.
Court Case begins for Norwegian Doctor Fired for Exercising Right to Conscience
June 1, 2016, NorwayKatarzyna Jachimowicz, a Polish family physician working in Norway, became the first medical professional in the country fired because she exercised her conscience rights by refusing to administer abortifacients.
Church the Victim of Two Fires in One Day
May 24, 2016, BelgiumIn Mont-Sainte-Geneviève, two fires significantly damaged an historic church. The first started in the sacristy. The fire fighters had just left the scene after managing to control that fire when another much bigger fire in the church roof was reported.
European Court of Human Rights Finds Turkey Interfered with Freedom of Religion
May 24, 2016, TurkeyThe case concerned the inability of Mersin and Izmir Jehovah's Witnesses in Turkey to obtain an appropriate place to engage in worship due to restrictive laws. The ECtHR held that such restrictions amounted to a direct interference with their freedom of religion.
Three Incidents in Churches in the Same Region in Just Two Weeks
May 22, 2016, FranceIn a press release Father Benoît Delabre reported that on May 15th the altar in the Church of St. Madeleine-de-l'Île was set on fire in Martigues, about 800 kilometers south of Paris. On the same day, another unknown person desecrated the tabernacle which contained the consecrated hosts in the church at Jonquières in the same region. Additionally, Father Delabre himself was attacked a week later by a man he caught at the church door who appeared to be “trying to steal something.”
Green Party a Threat to Religious Liberty in Australia
May 21, 2016, InternationalArchbishop Anthony Fisher warned that religious liberty is at stake in Australia's national elections because of the Green's proposed $32 million "Safe Schools" Program which would charge parents, schools, and churches with discrimination if they fail to conform.
Catholic Pensioner Murdered in her Sleep; Left with Crucifix in her Hands
May 19, 2016, GermanyA 27-year old Muslim man was found guilty and given a life sentence for the murder of a 70-year-old woman in Bad Friedrichshall on May 19, 2016. After strangling the woman with a telephone cord, Abubaker C. left writing on the wall "It's payback time" and put a cross in the woman's hands. He then stole valuables and fled. The prosecution argued that the murderer's motive was both theft and to kill a "disbeliever".
Catholic Nursing Home to Stand Trial for Denying Active Euthanasia
May 18, 2016, BelgiumIn 2011, after initially agreeing to euthanasia for a 74-year-old cancer patient, a Catholic nursing home denied the physician access to the patient. The patient had to be taken home where she could receive the doctor.
Evangelical Church Attacked in Manosque
May 18, 2016, FranceAn Assemblies of God church in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azurin was the victim of arson. Bibles and other books inside the church were stacked up and burnt, according to Pastor Alain Denizou.
Catholic and Protestant Churches Protest Exclusion from Population Information
May 17, 2016, NetherlandsLegislation puts an end to a program that helped churches keep track of their local memberships using data provided by the municipal administration.
Christian Refugees Face Discrimination in Austria
May 13, 2016, AustriaAccording to the NGO "Christian Solidarity International" (CSI), Christian refugees are being repeatedly discriminated against in Austrian refugee centers.
Greens Demand Ban on Pro-Life Presentations at Schools
May 12, 2016, AustriaIn April 2016, members of the Green Party in Austria submitted a Parliamentary Question to evaluate possible actions to stop “pro-life” workshops in religious education.
Vandalism at Catholic School in Nantes
May 11, 2016, FranceCatholic School Notre-Dame de l’Abbaye in Nantes was vandalized twice in two weeks.
Arms of Jesus on Crucifix Statue Broken
May 3, 2016, GermanyTwice in four weeks, an unknown perpetrator broke the arms off the Jesus figure displayed above hotels along a route frequently used by walkers and cyclists.