Freedom of Religion and Belief and Religious Freedom in Europe, was given by Mr Peter Zoehrer, Chief Editor and Secretary General of FOREF-Europe (Forum for Religious Freedom- Europe) and Advisor to Universal Peace Federation (UPF) - Europe on Human Rights

1. UPF
Peter Zoehrer

2. Universal Declaration
of Human Rights
Resolution 217 A (III) - 10.12.1948

3. Universal Declaration of Human
Rights
ResolutionARTICLE 1 10.12.1948
217 A (III) of
All human beings are born free and equal
in dignity and rights. They are endowed
with reason and conscience and should
act towards one another in a spirit of
brotherhood.

4. UDHR

5. Definition of Religious Freedom
Freedom of religion is a principle that
supports the freedom of an individual or
community, in public or private, to
manifest religion or belief in teaching,
practice, worship, and observance;
the concept is generally recognized also
to include the freedom to change religion
or not to follow any religion.

6. Definition of Religious Freedom
The freedom to leave or discontinue
membership in a religion or religious
group
—in religious terms called "apostasy"
—is also a fundamental part of
religious freedom, covered by Article
18 of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights.

7. Definition of Religious Freedom
Freedom of religion is considered by many
people and nations to be a fundamental human
right.
In a country with a state religion, freedom of
religion is generally considered to mean that the
government permits religious practices of other
sects besides the state religion, and does not
persecute believers in other faiths.

8. FoRB
Freedom of Religion or Belief
Peter Zoehrer

10. I. Introduction
A. Reason for Action
B. Purpose and scope
C. Definitions
II. Operational Guidelines
A. Basic Principles of Action
B. Priority Areas of Action
C. Tools

11. III. Implementation and Evaluation

The EU will further strengthen its cooperation
with the Office of the United-Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Special
Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief.

The EU will engage with international
organisations on freedom of religion or belief.

12. 
EU Member States will draw attention, as
appropriate, to freedom of religion or belief in the
Universal Periodic Review of the UN Human Rights
Council.

The EU will also engage in the fight against all
forms of intolerance and discrimination on grounds
of religion or belief, and the implementation of the
relevant UN ... in the framework of UNESCO, the
UN Alliance of Civilisations, the Anna Lindh
Foundation, and the Istanbul process.

13. 
The EU will promote initiatives at the level of
OSCE and the Council of Europe and contribute to
better implementation of commitments in the
area of freedom of religion or belief. ... Particular
attention shall be paid to engagement with OSCE
and Council of Europe countries that are not EU
Member States.

14. The EU will strengthen its exchanges with regional
expert bodies on freedom of religion or belief, such as
the Council of Europe (including the Venice Commission),
the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
(ODIHR) of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)

COHOM will evaluate the implementation of these
guidelines after a period of three years, inter alia on the
basis of the reports submitted by Heads of Mission and
after consultation with civil society and relevant
academic experts.


15. The Human Rights Working Group (COHOM)
was created under the Council of the European
Union in 1987 (with the extension of its
mandate in 2003) and it is responsible for
human rights issues in the EU's external
relations. It is composed of human rights
experts from Member States and the European
Commission.

16. Consultation of civil society should involve human
rights defenders, NGOs including domestic and
international human rights and women’s organisations.

This consultation will involve churches and religious
associations, philosophical and non- confessional
organisations in the context of the open, transparent
and regular dialogue held under article 17 of the Treaty
on the Functioning of the European Union.


17. 6. With these Guidelines, the EU reaffirms its
determination to promote, in its external human
rights policy, freedom of religion or belief as a
right to be exercised by everyone everywhere,
based on the principles of equality, nondiscrimination and universality.
 Through its external policy instruments, the EU
intends to help prevent and address violations
of this right in a timely, consistent and coherent
manner.


18. 7. In doing so, the EU focuses on the right
of individuals, to believe or not to believe,
and, alone or in community with others, to
freely manifest their beliefs.
 The EU does not consider the merits of the
different religions or beliefs, or the lack
thereof, but ensures that the right to believe
or not to believe is upheld.
 The EU is impartial and is not aligned with
any specific religion or belief.


19. 8. The Guidelines explain what the
international human rights standards on
freedom of religion or belief are, and give
clear political lines to officials of EU
institutions and EU Member States, to be
used in contacts with third countries and
with international and civil society
organisations.

20. They also provide officials with practical
guidance on how to seek to prevent
violations of freedom of religion or belief,
to analyse cases, and to react effectively to
violations wherever they occur, in order to
promote and protect freedom of religion
or belief in the EU's external action.

21. Religious Persecution
Contemporary global overview
Light yellow: low restriction;
red: very high restriction on freedom of religion.
SOURCE: Pew Research Center study, 2009

22. COUNTRY PROFILES:
The worst 50 countries for the persecution of Christians

23. Source:

24. 5. In line with universal and European
human rights standards, the EU and its
member States are committed to
respecting, protecting and promoting
freedom of religion or belief within
their borders.

25. The European Union is demanding Human
Rights standards which it fails to implement
within it’s own borders.
Drinking wine and preaching water...
or
“Do as I say! Don’t do as I do!”

26. Each civilization should
be judged by the way it
treats her minorities.
Mahatma Gandhi
26

27. Western Politicians repeatedly sacrifice
human rights for Chinas market

29. Islamophobia in Europe

33. EUROPE: FECRIS
Institutionalized Discrimination against Religious Minorities
President:
Tom
Sackville
UK
Vize –
President:
Alexander
Dvorkin
Russia
FECRIS (European Federation of Centers for Research and Information on
Sectarianism) consultative status (COE) in 2005 & UN (ECOSOC) in 2010
 The named organization - under the banner of human rights – promotes
discriminatory, anti-cult legislation throughout Europe.
 FECRIS receives substantial funding (over 90 percent of its annual
budget- as quoted by the former SG of the organization) from the
French government.

40. Jean Henri
Dunant
8. 5. 1828, Geneva
(Switzerland)
† 30. 10. 1910, Heiden
(Switzerland)
Founder of the
Red Cross
„We are all
brothers!“
1. Peace-Nobel
prize 1901

41. We have to live together
as brothers & sisters or
perish together as fools.
Martin Luther King Jnr.
41

42. Religious Freedom Advocacy
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www.foref-europe.org