Countering discrimination based on religion and protecting freedom of religion or belief in Europe
- 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).
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, the freedom of religion 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 any other ground.
3. The increasing number of manifestations of exclusion and intolerance
on the grounds of religion across Europe is a reason for serious
concern. Referring to its
Resolution 2447 (2022) “Preventing
and combating antisemitism in Europe”, its
Resolution 2457 (2022) “Raising
awareness of and countering Islamophobia, or anti-Muslim racism,
in Europe” and its
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 in those regions. In
the wake of the terrorist attack of 7 October 2023 and the conflict
in Gaza, there has been a significant resurgence of antisemitism,
and many European countries have recorded an increase in antisemitic
incidents, with an exponential increase of not only acts of violence
and physical attacks but also hate speech on social media, as noted
by international bodies including the European Commission against
Racism and Intolerance (ECRI). The same international bodies have
also 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 affiliation or belief, 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 Secretary General on antisemitism, anti-Muslim
hatred and all forms of religious intolerance, in view of the importance
of promoting peaceful living together in response 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, and building trust
and mutual respect, and that schools 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 based on 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, and on all types of denominational
religious education 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 its
Resolution 2036 (2015) “Tackling
intolerance and discrimination in Europe with a special focus on
Christians”, the Assembly notes that intolerance and discrimination
on the 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. These practical
ways constitute 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 an 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 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 and 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, which are 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
making political use of religion, and 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 levels.
15. The Assembly welcomes the action of the No Hate Parliamentary
Alliance and reiterates its call for 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.
