Northern Ireland: places of worship attacked every three days
Places of worship across Northern Ireland have been subject to nearly 450 recorded attacks over the last three years, prompting calls for immediate action to protect churches and other religious buildings. Following a freedom of information request, CARE NI can exclusively…
May Newsletter: Official figures for France; Persecuted Christians Worldwide; Attack in Rome
Dear Readers, I have spoken with so many journalists recently -- from both Christian and secular media outlets -- who want to learn more about the vandalism and attacks on Christian sites in France and whether it has gotten worse. The short answer is yes , and below…
March Newsletter: Officials in UK and Sweden use Bible Passages to Reject Asylum Claims
Dear Readers, In the last week, the agencies responsible for asylum decisions in two countries came under deserved scrutiny. In the United Kingdom (https://us15.admin.mailchimp.com/campaigns/preview-content-html?id=532619#UK) and Sweden…
Court Rules in Favor of Seventh-Day Adventist; Requires Reasonable Accommodation
The Danish Equal Treatment Board ruled in favor of a Seventh-day Adventist high school teacher who was fired for refusing to attend an open house event on a Saturday. The Board found that the teacher's termination was in breach of the Equal Treatment Act and that employers must…
Bishops in Scotland say Hate Crime Laws Must Allow for Robust Debate
In its response to the government consultation on hate crime legislation, the Scottish Catholic Church expressed concern that the definition of ‘hate’ has become open to misuse, raising fears that expressing traditional Catholic views on marriage and sexuality could be viewed…
February Newsletter: Vandalism and Desecration of French Churches
Dear Readers, In this newsletter, we report recent news of shocking vandalism and desecration of churches and Christian monuments in France. In the first eleven days of February, there were at least ten incidents reported. We join local officials and churches in condemning…
European Parliament: EU Should Better Promote and Protect Global Religious Freedom
On January 15th, the European Parliament adopted the “Resolution on EU Guidelines and the mandate of the EU Special Envoy on the promotion of freedom of religion or belief outside the EU…
Aid to the Church in Need 2018 Report: aggressive nationalism is fueling religious hatred —West is failing to act
A surge in aggressive nationalism in key parts of the world is to blame for a rise in violence and other intimidation targeting religious minorities—and the West is failing to convert words of concern into action. This is one of the principal findings of a new report on the…
Newsletter: Ashers Victory at Supreme Court
After a four-year legal battle, Ashers Baking Company in Belfast has won in the United Kingdom Supreme Court!
Christian Tennis Player fled from Iran; Arrested in Italy trying to get to London
A 29-year-old professional tennis player was arrested in Treviso on October 3rd after attempting to fly to London using a false Czech passport. Upon her arrest, she requested asylum because she is a convert from Islam to Christianity. Conversion is considered apostasy, a…
The Geneva Statement: Commemorating 70 Years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
We urge all nations to uphold the fundamental right to life, family, and religious freedom, as recognized by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Observatory Participated in International Seminar in Slovakia
Ellen Fantini joined Ján Figel', EU Special Envoy for the promotion of freedom of religion or belief outside the EU, and Tristan Azbej, Hungary's Deputy State Secretary for Persecuted Christians, on a panel in Bratislava.
Report 2018: Over 500 Documented Cases in 2016 and 2017
The cases in Observatory's report for 2016 and 2017 represent the range of hostilities Christians experience in their daily lives: from the ‘squeeze’ of interference with religious liberty, parental rights, freedom of expression and conscience, to the ‘smash’ of physical…
Germany: Afghan Man Sentenced to Life for Murder of Christian Woman
On February 9, 2018, a court in the Bavarian city of Traunstein sentenced a 30-year-old Muslim refugee from Afghanistan to life in prison for the brutal murder of a woman (https://www.intoleranceagainstchristians.eu/index.php?id=12&case=2112), also from Afghanistan, who had…
Germany: Officials Recorded Nearly 100 Anti-Christian Attacks in 2017
Germany’s federal police recorded almost 100 attacks on Christians or Christian institutions in Germany in 2017, with most of the violent incidents occurring among asylum seekers living in refugee centers.
OSCE/ODIHR Publishes 2016 Hate Crime Data
To mark the International Day for Tolerance, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) published hate crime data for 2016 on November 16, 2017.
Sebastian Kurz Promises to Work for Protection of Christians
In a message to the hundreds of participants in the torchlight procession in solidarity with persecuted Christians he said, "The protection of Christians needs to be strengthened in our foreign policy, bilaterally and at the EU level."
Observatory Submits Paper on Demands of Freedom of Religion to EU
The Observatory contributes a written submission to "Religare", a three-year European research project funded by the European Commission. This submission maps out the way to a Europe that is conscious of its heritage and has respect for fundamental rights, without disregarding…
