Rising Concerns Over Anti-Christian Persecution in Europe Highlighted at UN Event
(Photo: Observator on Intolerance & Discrimination Against Christians in Europe)
The European Parliament’s recent resolution has drawn attention to the severe persecution of Christians in the Middle East. However, a UN event has redirected focus towards rising threats to religious freedom within Europe itself.
For the first time, the UN Human Rights Council’s side event specifically addressed the persecution and discrimination faced by Christians.
Anja Tang, executive director of the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians in Europe (OIDAC), participated as a panellist at the event. OIDAC has highlighted a surge in anti-Christian hate crimes, citing increasing incidents of church arson attacks across Europe.
According to Tang, Christians in Europe face threats from both Islamist violence at the grassroots level and restrictive state policies from above.
She referenced the murder of Aushur Sarnaya by Islamists in France and the protracted legal battle involving Finnish Member of Parliament Päivi Räsänen, who has faced court proceedings for a Bible-quoting tweet for seven years.
Tang stated, “Several European governments targeted individuals through criminal procedures for peacefully expressing their religious beliefs.”
Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, a Vatican representative to the UN in Geneva, also spoke at the event.
The archbishop emphasized that religious freedom is a fundamental human right crucial for upholding human dignity. He expressed concerns about anti-Christian hate crimes in Europe and beyond, cautioning against “polite persecution,” where Christians and their beliefs are subtly marginalized through societal or legal pressures.
Earlier this year, the European Parliament adopted a resolution reaffirming its resolve to address anti-Christian bias.
The resolution noted: “Christianity remains the most persecuted religion in the world today, with more than 380 million people affected, there is no European coordinator responsible for combating Christianophobia, even though a coordinator has been appointed to combat Islamophobia.”
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
