All cases

Bulgarian Catholics and Protestants Unite to Oppose Proposed Religious Law: Updated

May 13, 2018, Bulgaria

Catholic and Protestant communities in Bulgaria have unified their efforts to prevent the adoption of two legislative proposals put before the parliamentary assembly in May 2018. The first, sponsored by the conservative GERB, the Bulgarian Socialist Party, and the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms, would permit state subsidies only for major religious denominations. The second, tabled by the United Patriots, would require greater oversight of religious activities and financing.

Google Halts Advertising on Irish Abortion Referendum

May 9, 2018, Ireland

On May 9th, Google announced that it would "pause" all advertising related to the upcoming Irish abortion referendum. The ban applies to all sites associated with the Google brand, including YouTube, and follows Facebook’s decision to ban any ads from advertisers outside of Ireland relating to the referendum. Opponents of the referendum, Pro-Life Campaign, Save the 8th, and the Iona Institute issued a joint statement condemning the tech giant’s decision as “shutting down a free and fair debate” and that it was "scandalous, and is an attempt to rig the referendum.”

More Abortion Clinic "Buffer Zones" Considered by Councils

April 23, 2018, United Kingdom

After the Ealing local council voted to ban prayer vigils and protests outside an abortion clinic by issuing a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) earlier in April, at least eight councils in the United Kingdom considered implementing abortion clinic "buffer zones."

Pentecostal Church in Rousse Threatened by Municipality Councilors and Media

April 17, 2018, Bulgaria

The municipality of Rousse will expel the Third Evangelical Pentecostal Church claiming that it illegally occupies a municipal building. The announcement was made by councilors from the right wing party, International Macedonian Revolutionary Organization. After an inspection launched by the local authorities, it was decided that the place where worship services are held three times a week, would be closed.

UK Council Bans Pro-Life Vigils outside Abortion Clinic

April 10, 2018, United Kingdom

A London local council voted unanimously on April 10th to ban pro-life vigils outside a local abortion center that have been taking place without incident for 23 years. The Ealing council voted to use a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) to stop pro-life advocates from praying outside the Ealing Marie Stopes abortion clinic and offering help to women as they enter or exit the building. Pro-lifers must now stay 100 meters away from the abortion center. It will be the first "buffer zone" in the United Kingdom.

List of Churches Removed from Granada's Website

April 10, 2018, Spain

On April 10th, the municipal government removed the list of churches and parishes that appeared on the City of Granada's on-line resource guide after an IU (United Left) councilman demanded their removal five days earlier. The twenty churches, all Catholic, appeared in a section with the title "Places of Worship." The deputy mayor responsible for communication announced that since the churches do not offer any municipal, public or administrative services, the entire "Places of Worship" section was deleted.

Eggs Thrown at Priest's House after Homily

March 31, 2018, Spain

Eggs were thrown at the door of a priest's home on Holy Saturday, March 31st, a day after he was criticized by LGBTI groups for a homily in which he questioned whether 'gender ideology' was a biased view of the nature of men and women, and whether it had a scientific basis.

Parents Halt School Procession during Holy Week

March 23, 2018, Spain

The parents of a two-year old student objected to the school participating in the Viernes de Dolores (Friday of Sorrows) procession. The Escuela Infantil Sagrada Familia organized the procession from the school to the neighborhood parish on March 23rd as part of the traditional celebrations of the Holy Week. The school council approved the voluntary event, but the Andalusian educational authority cancelled it after the parents complained.

Sinn Féin Politician Suspended for Voting against Abortion Referendum

March 21, 2018, Ireland

Member of the Irish Parliament, Carol Nolan TD was suspended from the left-wing Irish political party Sinn Féin for a period of three months after voting against a bill which would allow a Irish referendum on the Eighth Amendment which effectively bans abortion. Nolan said, "I voted according to my conscience and did not vote in favour of the legislation put before me as it was greatly at odds with my strong pro-life values."

Canada Summer Jobs Funding Program Becomes Religious Freedom and Conscience Rights Controversy

March 20, 2018, Canada

The Canada Summer Jobs program funding application for 2018 requires that applicants sign a statement supporting, among other things, abortion and transgender rights in order to be eligible for funding. Hundreds of applicants, including Christian charities, pro-life groups, and churches have refused to sign the attestation because of the government's positions on moral issues.

Leftist Party Opposed to any Easter Activities at Schools

March 19, 2018, Spain

The political party Equo Andalucía demanded that the Junta de Andalucía (Regional Government of Andalusia) exercise extreme vigilance to prevent public schools from organizing and celebrating Easter processions for children during Holy Week. Party leaders reminded the government that they had registered complaints about children's processions the previous year.

Woman Fined for Projecting Cross on Church Facade

March 18, 2018, Spain

A woman in the community of Callosa de Segura was sanctioned 100 euros per day for projecting the image of a cross on the wall of the church of San Martin.

Swedish Social Democrats Seek to Ban all Religious Schools

March 13, 2018, Sweden

The governing party announced the proposal on March 13, 2018, citing concerns about "systematic gender segregation and opinions that do not belong in Swedish schools." Although no examples of problems in Christian schools were cited, they would be included in the plan. Jewish schools would be exempted.

Christians Assaulted for Protesting Sexually Explicit Ads in the Netherlands

March 11, 2018, Netherlands

Catholic protesters holding a prayer rally were physically harassed, spat on, and assaulted by LGBT activists on March 11th while denouncing retailer Suitsupply's advertising campaign featuring men "groping and kissing" each other.

Teacher Fired for Sharing Biblical Views; Loses Discrimination Lawsuit

February 2, 2018, United Kingdom

Following a one-day trial, an Employment Tribunal dismissed a discrimination claim by a Christian teacher who was fired for answering students’ questions about her Christian beliefs.

Universities in Germany Excluding Christian Groups

January 28, 2018, Germany

The climate at Germany's universities has become increasingly anti-religious. The German Student Mission (SMD) collected and documented dozens of cases of discrimination against student-run religious groups, including Christian groups. Discrimination has included denying the groups the use of campus facilities, prohibitions on flyers, and denial of accreditation by student councils. For Christian groups, accreditation has been denied both because "religion has no place on campus" and objections to the groups' moral stances on controversial topics.

Manchester Votes to Ban Pro-Life Protests outside Clinics

January 24, 2018, United Kingdom

Manchester became the second local authority in England to vote to ban pro-life protests and prayer vigils outside clinics. Councillors in the city agreed on January 24th to "take all necessary actions within its powers" to stop what it said was the harassment by protesters against women using the clinics. After this vote, protests would not be banned, but the city will investigate whether a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) is warranted.

Paris March for Life Crowds Underreported by Media

January 21, 2018, France

French media largely ignored the March for Life, and those who reported about it underestimated the number of participants, saying there were "more than a thousand" marchers. Police estimated 8,500 participants, while organizers reported that over 40,000 people marched.

Pastor excluded from volunteering at prison due to allegations of extremism by Imam

January 11, 2018, United Kingdom

Pastor Paul Song was excluded from volunteering at a prison in Brixton, South London after Muslim Imam accused him of being too radical.

London Assembly Passed Motion to Clarify Police Power in "Buffer Zones"

December 21, 2017, United Kingdom

On December 21, 2017 the London Assembly passed a motion calling on the mayor to “clarify the powers available to [police] to arrest and prosecute” pro-life campaigners who pray near abortion clinics, accusing them of “obstruction, intimidation and harassment” and “threatening behavior.”

Court Rules Student can be Expelled for Quoting Bible on Facebook

October 27, 2017, United Kingdom

On October 27, Felix Ngole, a Christian student who was expelled from university after posting on Facebook his support of Biblical teaching on marriage and sexual ethics, lost his case in a judicial review of the university’s decision.

Catholic Pro-Life Student Union President Ousted

October 27, 2017, Ireland

Students Union at University College Dublin, a university founded by Blessed John Henry Newman, voted to remove Katie Ascough, the Catholic pro-life president of their student union. This vote came after Ascough, on legal advice, stopped the Union from publishing information about the cost of abortion and information relating to abortion pills.

Employment Tribunal Rejected Christian's Appeal

October 22, 2017, United Kingdom

A Christian who was dismissed as a Magistrate by the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice, after expressing his view that it was in a child's best interests to be raised by a mother and a father, lost his case in a Employment Tribunal claiming discrimination, harassment and victimization against an NHS Trust after being blocked from returning to his role as a non-executive director.

Parents' Campaign Forces Church School to Ban Christian Charity Group; Wants Symbols Removed

October 17, 2017, United Kingdom

After a parents' group complained about a Christian charity's "fundamentalist approach" in discussions of sin, St. John's Church of England Primary School in Tunbridge Wells agreed to block CrossTeach from running assemblies or giving lessons. The campaign also demands the removal of crosses, Bibles and clergy from Church of England school assemblies.

German Yoghurt Maker Weideglück Removed Santorini Cross from Packaging

October 11, 2017, Germany

Weideglück's Greek Yoghurt packaging uses an image similar to those used by Nestlé. Carrefour, and Lidl, which depicts the famous blue dome of the Anastasis Church in Santorini, but with the cross removed.

Oxford College Student Group Banned Christian Union from "Freshers' Fair"; then Reversed Decision

October 8, 2017, United Kingdom

A Balliol College student group at Oxford banned the Christian Union from its freshers’ fair on the grounds that it would be "alienating" for students of other religions, and constitute a "micro-aggression." They further claimed that Christianity was used as "an excuse for homophobia and certain forms of neo-colonialism" and that students might feel "unwelcome" if the Christian Union had a stall. After being reprimanded, organizers agreed that the Christian Union could participate in future fairs.

YouTube Removed Channel of Islam-Critical Priest

September 27, 2017, France

After a third "warning" that his posted videos were "inappropriate" and violated "community rules," YouTube removed priest Guy Pagès's "Islam et Vérité" channel from its content-sharing platform on September 27, 2017 .

Catalonian Separatists say Church is the Enemy

September 26, 2017, Spain

At a press conference held on September 26, 2017 in front of the cathedral in Tarragona, officials from the pro-Catalan independence political party CUP (Candidatura d'Unitat Popular) called the Catholic Church a "power structure to crush" that "discriminates against women and LGBT groups." It has also called for the elimination of aid to Christian schools and removal of a favorable tax status for churches.

Lipton Removes Crosses from Product Packaging

September 15, 2017, International

After controversy over the Lidl supermarket group removing crosses from Santorini churches on the packaging of Greek foods, it appears that Lipton, a holding of the Unilever Group, also eliminated crosses from their packaging, including its Russian Earl Grey tea. The illustration is of an Orthodox church, but with the crosses removed from the domes.

European Parliament Classifies Laws against Abortion as “Violence Against Women and Girls”

September 12, 2017, European Institutions (EU, ECHR, et.al.)

On September 12, 2017, the European Parliament adopted a parliamentary report which charges “the denial of sexual and reproductive health and rights services, including safe and legal abortion, is a form of violence against women and girls” by a vote of 489 in favor, 114 opposed and 69 abstentions.

Nestlé and Carrefour Removed Cross from Greek Yoghurt Packaging

September 4, 2017, International

The world’s largest food and beverage company Nestlé has removed the Christian cross from its Greek yogurt packaging depicting the famous blue-domed Anastasis Church in Santorini, Greece. Supermarket brands Carrefour Lidl have used similar images.

Lidl Supermarket Group Removed Crosses from Santorini Churches on Greek Products

August 31, 2017, International

The supermarket chain Lidl promotes its Greek ERIDANOUS products with images of the famous Anastasis Church in Santorini, Greece, complete with its world-renowned blue dome roof. However, the packaging image has photoshopped out the crosses from the tops the orthodox churches. Lidl spokesman said "We are avoiding the use of religious symbols because we do not wish to exclude any religious beliefs," and "We are a company that respects diversity and this is what explains the design of this packaging." The company later apologized, "Our intention has never been to shock. We avoid the use of religious symbols on our packaging to maintain neutrality in all religions. If it has been perceived differently, we apologize to those who may have been shocked."

Sweden to Deport Christian to Iran Despite Danger

July 26, 2017, Sweden

Sweden has rejected the asylum claim of Iranian Christian actress Aideen Strandsson and will deport her back to Iran, where she likely faces time in an Iranian prison -- or worse. In Iran, where it can be deadly to convert to Christianity, Strandsson kept her conversion largely a secret. But when she came to Sweden, she requested a public baptism. Iranian intelligence most likely is aware of her conversion and she has received threats on social media. Strandsson has said "I don't know what will happen to me, I know the punishment for me in Iran is death," she said. But "I have hope in Jesus, it's just the last hope I have in my life."

More than 25 Catholic Pages Blocked by Facebook as "Spam"; Later Restored

July 17, 2017, European Institutions (EU, ECHR, et.al.)

Between the night of July 17 and the morning of July 18, 2017 Facebook unpublished more than 25 Catholic pages in English, Portuguese and Spanish with no explanation to page administrators. After restoring the pages around 1:00 in the morning of July 19th, Facebook gave a statement to ACI Prensa: "The pages were reestablished. The incident was a malfunction of the spam detection mechanism in our platform. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused." In 2016, Facebook came under fire for allegedly censoring trends to news deemed "conservative."

U.K. Foreign Office Agency says Evangelical Christians in the Global South Should “Reinterpret” the Bible

July 17, 2017, United Kingdom

The Barnabas Fund has highlighted a Wilton Park (an executive agency of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office) report from 2016 in which it describes biblical sexual morality as 'hateful' and evangelical Christians in prejudicial terms. A key recommendation of the report is "challenging the interpretation of sacred texts."

School Holidays Changed to Remove Religious Connection

June 3, 2017, Spain

The Ministry of Education in Spain has proposed changing the Carnival and Easter Holidays to a week in late February and May respectively in order to remove the religious connections from the school holidays. This proposal is waiting to be ratified and implemented for the school year 2017/2018.

Reparation Prayers for Abortion Banned by Hospital Management

May 27, 2017, Switzerland

Prayers in reparation for the victims of abortion have been held in the chapel of the University Hospital (CHUV) in Lausanne on the 13th of every month for the past 10 years, organized by the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX). Pierre-Francois Leyvraz, the CEO of the hospital claimed not to have known about the events when the media contacted him. He informed the SSPX that they would no longer have access to the chapel and that the chapel will be closed on the 13th of each month to prevent the prayer meetings. He noted that abortion is legal and they will not permit people opposed to abortion to meet in the hospital chapel.

Expelled Christian Student Wins Right to Face High Court

April 26, 2017, United Kingdom

Felix Ngole was expelled from the University of Sheffield in 2016 for writing a post on his private Facebook page in which he quoted Leviticus stating that homosexuality was sinful. Deputy High Court Judge James Lewis has allowed Ngole to take his case to the High Court in London and a ruling is expected after a trial this fall.

Jehovah’s Witnesses Outlawed in Russia

April 21, 2017, Russia

The Russian Supreme Court has ruled that Jehovah’s Witnesses are an “extremist” religious group and therefore they have outlawed them. A Jehovah’s Witnesses spokesperson has stated that the group is “greatly disappointed by this development and deeply concerned about how this will affect our religious activity”. A spokesman of a Russian Baptist Evangelical union had defined the de-legalisation of the Jehovah’s Witnesses as an “unreasonable and dangerous step.” The Ministry of Justice “is beginning to distinguish between proper and improper believers. What will prevent these same officials tomorrow from condemning, say, the Evangelical Christians-Baptists, (Orthodox) Old Believers or Catholics? I think this approach is fundamentally wrong”, Vitaly Vlasenko, of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists said.

French Visa denied to Eastern Christians on Ideological Grounds

April 18, 2017, France

During an interview Jean-Jacques Brot, a French official responsible for the mission to host Syrian and Iraqi refugees, admitted that Eastern Christians who apply for visas often have the applications denied by French officials due to “their convictions” or “ideological grounds” (“leurs conviction” or “motifs idéologiques”).

Christmas and Easter School Holidays to Change Names

April 6, 2017, Spain

The Christmas and Easter school holidays will be re-named "first and second period" in the region of Castile and Leon in Spain for the academic year 2017/18 so as to be disassociated with the Christian holidays.

Church Leaders and Prime Minister Criticized National Trust

April 4, 2017, United Kingdom

The Church of England accused the National Trust of “airbrushing” Christianity out of Easter festivities, after it renamed “Easter Egg Trail” as the “Great British Egg Hunt.” Cadbury, which sponsors the event, said it wanted the event to appeal to non-Christians, saying: “We invite people from all faiths and none to enjoy our seasonal treats.” The Prime Minister said “[Easter is] a very important festival for the Christian faith for millions across the world. So I think what the National Trust is doing is frankly just ridiculous.”

Christian Youth Organizations Will No Longer Work Alongside Public Youth Agencies

March 30, 2017, Switzerland

Ten Swiss Christian youth federations working with 10,000 young people every year will no longer have the support of the public authorities. The decision of the federal government (“Bundesrat”) comes after decades of successful collaboration.

Politicians of Ponferrada Demand Removal of Holy Week Exhibition in School

March 23, 2017, Spain

The Ponferrada en Común (PeC), el Partido Comunista (PCE) e Izquierda Unida (IU) demanded immediate closure of a Holy Week exhibition in a public school by the Confraternity of Jesus of Nazareth (la Real Hermandad Jesús Nazareno). The political groups argued that such an exhibition “should not take place in a public school in a state that is defined as non-denominational.” They also claimed that the display "endangered safety at the school" as it is in a corridor that could be needed in an emergency.

University Students Want Pro-Life Posters Removed

March 16, 2017, United Kingdom

Aberdeen University students petitioned to have a pro-life poster removed from campus, claiming it was “actively harmful” to women. The Catholic chaplaincy on the campus displayed posters for a 40 Days of Life event, featuring people holding signs and prayer vigils outside the city’s maternity hospital during Lent.

Government in Valencia Attempted to Stop Religion Lessons in Schools

March 9, 2017, Spain

The Ximo Puig Government in Valencia created obstacles for the hiring of new teachers of religion by introducing new certification requirements. One affected teacher said, "three weeks ago, on the spot and without written notice," the Ministry of Education of the Valencian Community informed the Archbishopric of Valencia that all new teachers of religion must have the CAP (Certificate of Pedagogical Attitude ), or to have completed a Master's Degree in Teacher Training in Secondary Education, Baccalaureate, Vocational Training, and Teaching of Languages. This is in addition to the certificate known as DECA (Document of Ecclesiastical Suitability), provided by the Spanish Episcopal Conference.

Anti-Gender Ideology Campaign Censored

March 3, 2017, Spain

HazteOir.org painted a bus to circulate around Madrid with the words "Boys have penises, girls have vaginas. Don't be fooled. If you’re born a man, you’re a man. If you’re a woman, you’ll always be a woman" and publicized a pamphlet it created for parents: "Do you know what they want to teach your child at school? The laws of sexual indoctrination." The Madrid City Council authorized the seizure of the bus without a court order on March 2, 2017.

Primary School Teacher Suspended after Reading Bible Verses to Pupils

March 3, 2017, France

After a group of parents sent a letter of complaint, the school's headmaster suspended the Malicornay teacher. The teacher will remain under suspension pending an investigation into whether he was proselytizing in violation of secularism laws or simply studying the texts with the students. The city's mayor has denounced the suspension as extreme.

Two Street Preachers Convicted of Public Order Offenses

February 28, 2017, United Kingdom

Michael Overd and Michael Stockwell were convicted on February 28, 2017 after a public prosecutor claimed that quoting parts of the King James Bible in the context of modern British society "must be considered to be abusive and is a criminal matter". After a four-day trial, the men were found guilty under Section 31 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, for using "threatening or abusive words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress, thereby, and the offence was religiously aggravated."

Oxford Lecturer Refused to take Christian Convert's Questions about Islam

February 27, 2017, United Kingdom

A trainee Church of England priest at Oxford University, an Iranian-born convert from Islam, claimed he wasn’t allowed to ask critical questions about Islam during a seminar and has accused the university of discrimination and bias and made a formal complaint.

National Secular Society Proposes Removal of Bishops' Bench from House of Lords

February 21, 2017, United Kingdom

The group made the recommendation to a parliamentary inquiry to examine how to reduce the size of the Upper House. The House of Lords currently has more than 850 members, and the Bishops' Bench contains two archbishops and 24 bishops who can vote on legislation.

Granada Bishop Accused of Hate Speech

February 20, 2017, Spain

The Spanish Observatory against LGBTfobia filed a hate speech complaint on February 20, 2017 against Archbishop Francisco Javier Martínez for a homily delivered on February 12, 2017 in which he criticized gender ideology in the education of children. The complaint accused the bishop of promoting "hate speech against LGBT persons."

Parliamentary Group Called for a Ban on Broadcasts of Mass on Public Television

February 20, 2017, Spain

A parliamentary group in the Congress of Deputies presented a proposal calling for broadcasts of Mass on public television be prohibited, which they ask to be considered/debated by a commission that oversees RTVE, Spain’s public television station, and its affiliates.

France Passed Law Banning Pro-Life Websites

February 16, 2017, France

The National Assembly passed a law which bans pro-life websites which attempt to discourage women from having abortions if the sites do not openly state “who they are, what they do and what they want.”

Humanists Demand Religious Radio Program include Non-Religious Perspectives

February 14, 2017, United Kingdom

The British Humanist Association sent a letter to the BBC demanding that its publicly-funded "Thought for the Day" Radio 4 program, which includes reflections from Christians and other faiths, also include non-religious speakers.

NHS does not Record Religious Discrimination

February 2, 2017, United Kingdom

The National Health Service has confirmed, in response to a question from a Member of Parliament, that it does not collect information on instances of discrimination against NHS staff on the basis of their faith.

Magistrate Disciplined for Refusing to Hear Same Sex Parenting Case

January 30, 2017, United Kingdom

The Judicial Conduct Investigations Office ordered Susan Preston to stand down from hearing future family cases, after she declined to sit on a case involving same-sex parenting due to her personal views.

Policing and Crime Bill Proposes to Raise Penalty for "Religiously Aggravated Offense"

January 18, 2017, United Kingdom

During the debate in the House of Lords, the Government was asked what would qualify for a "religiously motivated offense" and whether it could include a Christian preaching the "supreme divinity of Christ." The Government responded that this would be up to prosecutors and courts.

Goverment Still Supports Plan to Register & Inspect Sunday Schools

January 11, 2017, United Kingdom

Education minister confirmed that the program to regulate "out of school" settings, which could include Sunday school and youth group meetings, remains a government priority. Opponents say that this would leave churches open to complaints if they teach religious principles relating to traditional marriage.

UK Considering Secularist Oath of Allegiance to British Values

December 21, 2016, United Kingdom

The UK government has proposed that all office holders and employees of the State swear an Oath of Allegiance to British Values that conflicts with traditional Christian teaching about sexuality.

Holsbeek Town Council Removed Nativity Scene

December 19, 2016, Belgium

The Christmas display in the town hall was removed to "avoid offending Muslims living in the area," resulting in protests and objections from citizens, politicians, and some Muslim activists who said it was absurd to say that Muslims are offended by the birth of Jesus.

Student Union Bans Pro-Life Group

December 5, 2016, United Kingdom

Pro-life supporters have been banned from setting up an official campus group by the University of Strathclyde Student Union on the grounds that such a group would violate "safe space."

Christian Archbishops from Iraq and Syria Denied Visas to UK

December 4, 2016, United Kingdom

Despite a formal invitation from Prince Charles to attend a consecration ceremony of Britain's first Syriac Orthodox Cathedral, the Home Office denied the visa applications of Archbishops Nicodemus Daoud Sharaf of Mosul, Timothius Mousa Shamani of St Matthew's in Nineveh valley of northern Iraq, and Selwanos Boutros Alnemeh of Homs and Hama in Syria because they "did not have enough money to support themselves and might not leave the UK."

School Prohibits Christmas Decorations with Religious Motifs

November 24, 2016, Spain

A school in Elche sent a letter to parents saying it needed Christmas decorations for the classrooms, but that they should not have a religious motif, such as a nativity scene.

Government of Rincon Prohibits Nativity Scene in Municipal Courtyard

November 4, 2016, Spain

The city council gave the reason for the prohibition: "it is the central administrative building, and must respect the non-denominational vision of the State."

City Council to Vote on Removal of Religious Symbols from Public Spaces

October 26, 2016, Spain

In November, the Madrid City Council is expected to approve a draft "human rights" law which includes the removal of religious symbols from public spaces.

Christian parents fear 'gender-confused' daughter will be taken away

October 23, 2016, United Kingdom

Christian parents fear their 14-year-old daughter will be taken into foster care unless they allow her to change her female name to a male one.

France Plans to Ban Pro-Life Websites it Judges 'Extremist'

October 6, 2016, France

Laurence Rossignol, minister of families, children, and women’s rights, has announced that the French government intends to introduce legislation to ban pro-life websites it judges to be 'extremist'. She plans an amendment to the current “Equality and Citizenship” law, which will impose penalties on owners of pro-life sites of 30,000 euro fine (£26,517/ $33,600) and two years in prison.

Pristina University Students Demand Demolition of Church

September 16, 2016, Kosovo

A group of students at Pristina University has demanded that a Serbian Orthodox church on campus be either destroyed or converted into student facilities.

Pressures on Christian Refugees Continue in Sweden

September 1, 2016, Sweden

Refugees who have converted from Islam to Christianity report beatings, threats, bullying, and social exclusion in refugee accommodations.

Nurse Fired for Talking about Faith with Patients

August 31, 2016, United Kingdom

A Christian nurse was fired for "gross misconduct" by the NHS for talking to her patients about her faith and occasionally offering prayer to help them prepare for surgery. Part of her job was to help patients complete a questionnaire, which included a question about religion.

Nice Deputy Mayor Confirms "Burkini Ban" Also Applies to Nuns' Habits on Beaches

August 26, 2016, France

Rudy Salles defended the ban of the "Burkini" and said that the same ban would apply to Catholic nuns wearing habits on Nice beaches.

Mass of the Assumption Banned by Authorities

August 11, 2016, Turkey

After 88 years of closure, the Panagia Sumela Monastery in Trabzon, was reopened in June 2010 and since then, the Turkish authorities had given a license for a yearly Mass to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople to celebrate the Mass of the Assumption. This year, the authorization was administratively revoked.

Pastor and Politician Report Abuse of Christian Refugees in Frankfurt

August 8, 2016, Germany

During a press conference with Bundestag member Erika Steinbach, Pastor Mahin Mousapour said Christians staying at migrant shelters are being told that they are impure and that they deserve to die for rejecting Islam.

Parliamentary Inquiry Finds UK Doctors Risk Losing Jobs For Refusing To Perform Abortion

July 21, 2016, United Kingdom

British pro-life doctors and nurses face hostility, loss of advancement, and pressure to perform or refer for abortions despite legislation guaranteeing their right to conscientiously object, according to a parliamentary inquiry.

Funding for Christian Charity Cut for Encouraging Homosexual Celibacy

July 19, 2016, Netherlands

"Hart van Homo's" (Heart for Gays), a Christian charity that encourages celibacy for gay Christians, lost governmental funding after the ruling party argued that it sent the wrong message.

German Bishops Conference and Protestant Evangelical Church in Germany Issue Joint Statement

July 12, 2016, Germany

Cardinal Marx, chair of German Bishops' Conference and Bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, head of the Protestant Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), united to condemn the attacks on Christians and other religious minorities in camps.

Religion Classes in Belgium to be Replaced with Citizenship Classes

July 7, 2016, Belgium

The country's religious education classes in French-speaking primary and secondary schools will be cut in half in October 2016 and replaced with a weekly hour of citizenship classes, over the objection of students and teachers.

Russia's Anti-Terrorism Law Restricts Missionary Activities

July 7, 2016, Russia

The new law bans preaching, praying, proselytizing, and disseminating religious materials outside of officially-designated sites, and authorizes fines for these activities conducted in private residences or distributed through mass print, broadcast or online media.

Lay Association Calls for Mayor's Resignation for Assisting in Catholic Blessing

June 29, 2016, Spain

The president of Asturias Laica, Jose Luis Iglesias, has formally requested that the Mayor of Gijon, Carmen Moriyón, resign from office for assisting in the Catholic ritual of the blessing of the waters in the feast of San Pedro, the city’s patron saint, which was celebrated on June 29.

Valencia Cardinal Accused of Hate Speech for Homily Criticizing Gender Ideology Legislation

June 23, 2016, Spain

Cardinal Antonio Cañizares was accused of hate speech by the Feminist Platform of Alicante, along with 55 other LGBT organizations. They alleged that his homily was "full of hatred, homophobic and sexist." On June 23, 2016 he was cleared of the charges.

Christian Converts in Hamburg Threatened

June 14, 2016, Germany

Security guards at refugee camps in Hamburg have reportedly told the Christian residents to keep their faith a secret, claiming they cannot protect them if their secret is revealed.

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 Kingdom

The 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 Kingdom

A Christian union has been banned from holding meetings on college premises, as a result of the government’s counter-terrorism strategy "Prevent".

Green Party a Threat to Religious Liberty in Australia

May 21, 2016, International

Archbishop 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 and Protestant Churches Protest Exclusion from Population Information

May 17, 2016, Netherlands

Legislation 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, Austria

According 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, Austria

In 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.

Magistrate Removed from Office, Suspended from NHS Trust, for Christian Belief in Traditional Family

March 29, 2016, United Kingdom

A Christian magistrate Richard Page has been removed from office by the Lord Chancellor after sharing his personal conviction in a media interview that there is not enough evidence to show that placing children in the care of same-sex couples is in their best interest.

Christian Postgraduate Student Expelled for Opposing Gay Marriage

February 27, 2016, United Kingdom

A Sheffield University social work postgraduate student, Felix Ngole, was expelled from his course for posting on his Facebook page that homosexual activity is against the teaching of the Bible.

French Mayor Brought before Administrative Tribunal of the League of Human Rights

February 17, 2016, France

Julien Sanchez, mayor of Beauclaire, was denounced by the League of Human Rights on February 17th for having displayed a creche at the city hall at Christmas time.

Iranian Christians Kicked Out of Refugee Home After Being Attacked

February 14, 2016, Germany

Six Iranian Christian refugees were told by a security employee of the Tempelhof accommodation that they had an hour to leave because they were trouble-makers. Just days earlier, these six men had been threatened with beatings by 70 radical Muslim refugees for reading the Bible.

Police Spokesman Reported Muslims Trying to Expel Christians From Grande-Synthe Camp

January 27, 2016, France

Forty shots were fired in what was termed a quarrel between rival smuggler gangs at the Grande-Synthe refugee camp near Dunkirk. David Michaux, a CRS anti-riot officer from the Unsa-police union, told Le Figaro: "There is a real problem between Muslims and non-Muslims. Most of the camp's 3,000-odd occupants are Muslim Kurds from Iraq, Iran and Syria but a minority are Christians from Iran." He went on to say "The Muslims are trying to expel the Christians from the camp."

FIFA Erased a Brazilian Football Player's Reference to the Christian Faith

January 11, 2016, Switzerland

FIFA, the highest institution in the world of football, censored a reference to Jesus by Ballon d’Or candidate Neymar.

Catholic Schoolchildren in Madrid Banned from Three Kings Parade

December 31, 2015, Spain

Approximately 800 students at a Catholic school in Madrid’s southern Carabanchel district have been excluded from a local parade by city authorities.

Image of St. John the Evangelist Banned from Rochester Train Station

December 27, 2015, United Kingdom

Network Rail, partly funded by taxpayer money, argued it was "overtly Christian" and that it would offend "multi-cultural values".

German Newspaper Refuses to Publish Church's Advertisement

December 20, 2015, Germany

The Weser-Kurier in Bremen has refused to publish an advertisement of a local Evangelical church containing a bible passage.

Spanish Artist Stole and Desecrated over 200 Consecrated Hosts

November 23, 2015, Spain

As part of an exhibit, Abel Azcona placed the hosts on the ground in a public art gallery to form the word “Pederasty".

City Reduces Funding for Holy Week and Refuses to Fund to Corpus Christi

November 23, 2015, Spain

The Department of Culture in Palma de Mallorca has reduced municipal funding for events during the week leading up to Easter (known as “Holy Week” or “Semana Santa”, famous for grand processions) to just 3.000 euros, and has not allocated any funding to the important Catholic feast of Corpus Christi (known simply as “Corpus”).