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Although it was expected that Europe would move in a unified direction regarding the protection and respect for religious freedom, it appears to be heading in a different, undesirable direction. This could be one of the conclusions drawn from a conference on religious freedom organized by the Interparliamentary Friendship Group, held in the Croatian Parliament on the occasion of Red Wednesday, a day dedicated to those persecuted for their faith.
The conference was attended by representatives of the Croatian Parliament, as well as the Apostolic Nuncio to the Republic of Croatia, Prelate Giorgio Lingua, the Ambassador of the State of Israel to the Republic of Croatia, Gary Koren, representatives of religious communities, the academic community, and international organizations. On behalf of the Religious Freedom Lab (Laboratorium Wolności Religijnej, LWR) project, Professor Saša Horvat, a member of the expert group, was invited.
Parliamentarian Marijana Petir, the conference organizer who has also participated in initiatives undertaken by the Religious Freedom Lab, emphasized that Christians are the most persecuted religious group in the world. However, she also highlighted a clear rise in antisemitism, particularly following Hamas’s attacks on Israel, making Jews—after Christians—the most endangered group in Europe today.
“We cannot silently stand by as human rights are violated; we are called to act. Therefore, the aim of this conference is to draw attention to religious persecution worldwide and raise awareness to promote Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” Petir stressed.
In his opening address, the Deputy Speaker of the Croatian Parliament and envoy of the Speaker, Željko Reiner, warned that technology enables people to express their thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes, but these opportunities often become fertile ground for hatred, intolerance, and extremism.
Three lectures followed. Katharina von Schnurbein, the European Commission’s Coordinator on Combating Antisemitism, highlighted the sharp increase in antisemitism in Europe following Hamas’s attack on Israel and Israel’s response. She presented extensive data on daily attacks against Jews in Europe, particularly in the Netherlands and Germany, noting that Germany records 29 attacks per day. The surge in antisemitism is particularly evident on social media, prompting her to call for the suppression, control, and verification of information disseminated through these channels.
Dr. Martin Kugler, President of the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians in Europe (OIDAC Europe), presented the organization’s latest report. From September 2022 to August 2023, 749 anti-Christian hate crimes were recorded across 30 European countries, including 38 physical assaults and three murders of Christians. Kugler warned of an alarming 44% increase in anti-Christian hate crimes and acts of vandalism in Europe, highlighting a 75% rise in church arsons and vandalism between 2021 and 2022. He pointed to France, where two to three serious attacks on churches occur weekly. He also noted that the media often shows little interest in hate crimes committed on the basis of faith and fails to report on them.
The final lecture was delivered by Marcela Szymański, Editor-in-Chief of the Religious Freedom in the World report and head of the EU office of ACN (Aid to the Church in Need), who also participated in the most recent Religious Freedom Lab conference. Szymański discussed global threats to religious freedom and highlighted the challenges in monitoring and recording attacks on Christians. She pointed out issues such as the unknown proportion of believers in many countries and the deliberate underreporting of these numbers to introduce laws that gradually restrict the rights of religious individuals (whether minorities or majorities) with the aim of completely eliminating religious practices. Many violations of religious freedom go unreported due to state involvement, rendering actions such as reporting to the state futile. Szymański emphasized that religious freedom is particularly threatened today through social media.
During the discussion, Professor Saša Horvat (Religious Freedom Lab) drew attention to the numerous initiatives of the Religious Freedom Laboratory project concerning religious freedom and the need for direct protection of victims, which have provided an objective insight into the situation in Poland and Europe. He highlighted that the project included activities focused on prevention and education for broader segments of Polish society to foster a better understanding of the concept of freedom of conscience and religion, thereby better protecting this fundamental human right.
Saša Horvat
