18/03/2013 Political Affairs and Democracy
Strasbourg, 14.03.2013 – The Political Affairs Committee of the PACE, meeting in Rabat today, recommended that, in their external relations, member states take into account the question of respect for the fundamental rights of religious communities and the matter of their protection. The report by Luca Volontè (Italy, EPP/CD), which was unanimously adopted by the Committee, says that member states should use their bilateral relations with those countries where violence against religious communities is reported to reaffirm that the development of human rights, democracy and civil liberties is the common basis on which they build their relations with third countries.
The report considers the violence against Christian and other communities in Council of Europe member states and describes the threats to freedom of religion and belief. It points out that such violence, not only physical but also psychological, against persons because of their religion, has increased in the past few years and remains a cause for concern in a number of countries in Africa (Nigeria, Sudan), Asia (North Korea and China), the Middle East (Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Syria) and also Central Asia (Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan).
The committee urges all states in which violence against religious communities has occurred to unequivocally condemn not only attacks on innocent people, but also the use of violence in general, as well as all forms of discrimination and intolerance based on religion and beliefs.
It also recommends that states “accommodate religious beliefs in the public sphere by guaranteeing
freedom of thought in relation to healthcare, education and the civil service”.