Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Defends Religious Freedom
* About Freedom of Expression in religious and moral matters, the Assembly calls on States to:
9.9. accommodate religious beliefs in the public sphere by guaranteeing freedom of thought in relation to health care, education and the civil service provided that the rights of others to be free from discrimination are respected and that the access to lawful services is guaranteed;
* About the Right to Conscientious Objection, the Assembly calls on States to:
9.10. ensure the right to well-defined conscientious objection in relation to morally sensitive matters, such as military service or other services related to health-care and education, in line also with various recommendations already adopted by the Assembly, provided that the rights of others to be free from discrimination are respected and that the access to lawful services is guaranteed;
* About the Educational Rights of Parents, the Assembly calls on States to:
9.11. while guaranteeing the fundamental right of children to education in an objective, critical and pluralistic manner, respect the right of parents to ensure such education and teaching in conformity with their own religious and philosophical convictions; *About the Right to Autonomy for Religious Communities, the Assembly calls upon States to:
9.13. ensure the full respect of Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights and relevant jurisprudence by the European Court of Human Rights since 1949 and that the freedom of communities and individuals defined by religion or belief is respected and exercised within the limits of the law;
* About the Support to be Given to Persecuted Religious Communities outside Europe, the Assembly calls upon States to notably:
9.2. ensure that a democracy clause, incorporating religious freedom, is included in agreements between them and third countries;
9.3. take account of the situation of religious communities in their bilateral political dialogue with the countries concerned;
Full text: http://assembly.coe.int/ASP/XRef/X2H-DW-XSL.asp?fileid=19695&lang=EN Download the full text as .pdf here...
We thank the European Centre for Law and Justice for the summary.
9.9. accommodate religious beliefs in the public sphere by guaranteeing freedom of thought in relation to health care, education and the civil service provided that the rights of others to be free from discrimination are respected and that the access to lawful services is guaranteed;
* About the Right to Conscientious Objection, the Assembly calls on States to:
9.10. ensure the right to well-defined conscientious objection in relation to morally sensitive matters, such as military service or other services related to health-care and education, in line also with various recommendations already adopted by the Assembly, provided that the rights of others to be free from discrimination are respected and that the access to lawful services is guaranteed;
* About the Educational Rights of Parents, the Assembly calls on States to:
9.11. while guaranteeing the fundamental right of children to education in an objective, critical and pluralistic manner, respect the right of parents to ensure such education and teaching in conformity with their own religious and philosophical convictions; *About the Right to Autonomy for Religious Communities, the Assembly calls upon States to:
9.13. ensure the full respect of Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights and relevant jurisprudence by the European Court of Human Rights since 1949 and that the freedom of communities and individuals defined by religion or belief is respected and exercised within the limits of the law;
* About the Support to be Given to Persecuted Religious Communities outside Europe, the Assembly calls upon States to notably:
9.2. ensure that a democracy clause, incorporating religious freedom, is included in agreements between them and third countries;
9.3. take account of the situation of religious communities in their bilateral political dialogue with the countries concerned;
Full text: http://assembly.coe.int/ASP/XRef/X2H-DW-XSL.asp?fileid=19695&lang=EN Download the full text as .pdf here...
We thank the European Centre for Law and Justice for the summary.