Countering discrimination based on religion and protecting freedom of religion or belief in Europe
Resolution 2647
(2026)
| Provisional version
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Assembly
debate on 21 April 2026 (13th sitting) (see Doc. 16373, report of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination,
rapporteur: Mr Francesco Verducci). Text adopted by the
Assembly on 21 April 2026 (13th sitting).Provisional
version subject to editorial review.
1. The Parliamentary
Assembly notes that freedom of religion or belief, which includes
the right not to hold a religious belief or affiliation, is not
only a fundamental right but also a vital element of any democratic
system. By fostering pluralism, it promotes peaceful living together
as equals in Europe’s culturally diverse societies. Freedom of thought,
conscience and religion as protected under Article 9 of the European
Convention on Human Rights (ETS No. 5, “the Convention”) is a cornerstone
of the Council of Europe’s human rights protection system.
2. Equality and the absence of discrimination are essential preconditions
for the effective enjoyment of the right to freedom of religion
or belief. Member States should guarantee the effective enjoyment
of this right by everyone, without discrimination based on religious
affiliation or on any other ground.
3. Growing manifestations of exclusion and intolerance on grounds
of religion across Europe are a reason for serious concern. Referring
to its
Resolution 2447
(2022) “Preventing and combating antisemitism in Europe”,
Resolution 2457 (2022) “Raising awareness of and countering Islamophobia, or
anti-Muslim racism, in Europe”, and
Resolution 2069 (2015) “Recognising and preventing neo-racism”, the Assembly
considers that member States should step up efforts to prevent and
counter all forms of racism and intolerance, that misrepresent cultural
differences, notably religious affiliation, as a cause of supposed
incompatibility between minority groups and European societies.
4. The Assembly notes that manifestations of religious intolerance
in Europe often appear to be linked to conflicts occurring in other
regions and to reflect heightened tensions there. In the wake of
the terrorist attack of 7 October 2023 and the conflict in Gaza,
there has been a significant resurgence of anti-Semitism and many European
countries have recorded an increase in antisemitic incidents with
an exponential increase not only in acts of violence and physical
attacks but also in hate speech on social media, as noted by international bodies
including the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance
(ECRI). The same international bodies have recorded an increase
in Islamophobic incidents. The Assembly affirms that no individual
shall be held responsible, on the basis of their actual or perceived
religious or belief affiliation, for acts committed by others purportedly
in the name of that religion or belief.
5. The Assembly highly values and supports the work of ECRI,
which is instrumental in promoting equality and inclusion in today’s
diverse Europe. ECRI’s recommendations should be fully implemented
by public authorities across Council of Europe member States. The
Assembly further supports the action of all the bodies that operate
to prevent and counter discrimination, and the mandate of the Special
Representative of the Council of Europe Secretary General on antisemitism,
anti-Muslim hatred and all forms of religious intolerance, in view
of the importance of promoting peaceful living together to respond
to the challenges that Europe is facing today. It recommends that
actions in this area take into account the full diversity of religious
beliefs and communities.
6. Referring to its
Resolution
2076 (2015) “Freedom of religion and living together in a democratic
society”, the Assembly reiterates that member States should ensure
that religious communities and their members are able to exercise
their right to freedom of religion without impediment or discrimination,
in accordance with Article 9 of the Convention, as well as the right
to freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly. This
includes the possibility to practise their faith publicly and freely,
in places of worship designed for that purpose or in other places
accessible to the public, and to make their opinion publicly known
without being subjected to censorship or intimidation.
7. The Assembly also reiterates that education is key to combating
ignorance, breaking down stereotypes and bias, building trust and
mutual respect, and that school should promote constructive dialogue
between individuals of different beliefs, whether religious or secular,
as a basis for building and strengthening a democratic society.
8. The Assembly refers to the activities carried out by the Council
of Europe in the area of religious education, which argues for an
integrated approach to spiritual, religious, moral and civic values.
It reiterates that religious education can be a powerful tool for
preventing and countering religious intolerance and discrimination,
and for promoting peaceful living together and social cohesion.
To this end, religious education must be inspired by pluralism and
be objective and non-confessional.
9. The Assembly emphasises that religious education should make
an important contribution to a democratic society. It further recognises
that religious communities have a great responsibility, when passing on
their faith, to convey not only their own beliefs but also respect
for other religions and religious convictions. It further calls
on parents, in raising their children, as well as all forms of denominational
religious educational institutions, to teach respect for other religions
and world views, and to ensure that religious education contributes
to peaceful coexistence and social cohesion.
10. Referring to
Resolution
2036 (2015) “Tackling intolerance and discrimination in Europe with
a special focus on Christians”, the Assembly notes that intolerance
and discrimination on grounds of religion or belief affect both
majority and minority religious groups in Europe; it observes that
the expression of faith is sometimes unduly limited by national
legislation and policies; and it highlights the need to identify
practical ways to make religious observance possible in the workplace
and other settings. This constitutes a pragmatic means of ensuring
the effective and full enjoyment of freedom of religion, allowing
all religious groups to live in harmony.
11. The Assembly highlights the special responsibility of public
figures to speak out against religious hatred and all other forms
of intolerance. It stresses that political leaders and representatives
should refrain from any instrumentalisation, manipulation, misrepresentation
or other misuse of religion or belief, whether to stigmatise or
exclude individuals or groups or to obtain electoral or other advantage.
12. The Assembly also notes with particular concern that violations
of freedom of religion or belief may be linked to situations of
armed conflict and foreign occupation, including in the context
of the war of aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine,
where reports indicate the suppression of religious pluralism, restrictions
on non-aligned religious communities and the misuse of religion
for political purposes by occupation authorities.
13. The Assembly is deeply concerned that religion is increasingly
being weaponised and used as a tool of propaganda and hybrid warfare,
as referred to in its
Resolution
2540 (2024) “Alexei Navalny’s death and the need to counter Vladimir
Putin’s totalitarian regime and its war on democracy".
14. In the light of these considerations, the Assembly calls on
Council of Europe member States, observers and partners for democracy:
14.1 with regard to research and
data collection, to:
14.1.1 collect
data on intolerance and discrimination on the grounds of religion,
disaggregated by characteristics such as gender, ethnicity, nationality
and religious affiliation of the victims;
14.2 with regard to education, information and awareness raising,
to:
14.2.1 provide religious literacy
training for public officials, law enforcement officers and the judiciary,
in order to facilitate the identification of cases of discrimination
on the grounds of religion and the consistent enforcement of freedom
of religion or belief;
14.2.2 provide teachers in schools with training and guidance
on religion, based on a pluralist and inclusive approach with a
view to fostering respect, mutual understanding and preventing conflicts;
14.2.3 strengthen co-operation with media organisations to promote
fair and accurate representation of religious beliefs and lifestyles
in the media and to counter negative stereotyping and stigmatisation
based on religion or belief, without encroaching on the independence
of the media;
14.3 with regard to co-operation with civil society and religious
organisations, to:
14.3.1 ensure fair
and equal treatment of religious communities and organisations in
all administrative formalities, in particular by establishing clear,
transparent and non‑discriminatory procedures for recognition, based
on objective criteria, applied within reasonable time limits and subject
to effective review;
14.3.2 strengthen consultation and communication with religious
communities and civil society organisations in the drafting of legislation
that could directly or indirectly affect the freedom of religion
of any individual or group;
14.3.3 promote interreligious dialogue, with a view to fostering
mutual understanding and preventing discrimination, and endeavour
to include representatives of the widest possible range of religions
or beliefs;
14.4 with regard to harmful language in public and political
discourse, to:
14.4.1 urge legislators
and political leaders to abstain from using stigmatising and discriminatory
language or from making a political use of religion, and to consider
adopting effective tools to prevent and counter these practices;
14.5 with regard to the protection of freedom of religion or
belief in situations of armed conflict, to:
14.5.1 ensure that violations of freedom of religion or belief
linked to situations of armed conflict and foreign occupation are
effectively monitored, documented and addressed at national and international
level.
15. The Assembly welcomes the action of the No Hate Parliamentary
Alliance and reiterates its call on national parliaments to establish
parliamentary groups dedicated to preventing and countering racism, intolerance
and hatred.
16. The Assembly calls on political parties to sign the Charter
of European political parties for a non-racist and inclusive society
as endorsed in its
Resolution
2443 (2022) “The role of political parties in fostering diversity and
inclusion: a new charter for a non-racist society”, and to enforce
it in their internal functioning and their public action.
