European Parliament Conference: “Freedom of Religion? The Price of Faith”

Bringing together victims, activists, academic experts and engaged politicians, the high-level conference will offer a platform to discuss the significance of freedom of religion as a human right and the wide-ranging consequences of systematic denial of this freedom by authoritarian or repressive regimes, as well as concrete case studies giving first-hand accounts of religious persecution from the perspective of the religious minority groups around the world.

The conference aims to address the issues that arise when people’s freedom to practice their religion comes into contention with social and geopolitical forces, and the question of how to promote better relations between religious communities and cultures.

The EU, as a peace promoting community encompassing democratic ideals of freedom and equality, serves as the epicentre for the promotion of freedom of religion, and will therefore provide a symbolic background to the discussions. The freedom of religion and belief is one of the oldest and most deeply rooted human rights in Europe. The freedoms of thought, conscience, religion or belief have emerged as core European values over the past three centuries with the development of national and regional legislative safeguards for the respect of diversity.

However, around the world, repressive Governments oftentimes fail to protect vulnerable minority communities and thus, many religious groups are disproportionately affected. When Governments choose not to combat discrimination on the basis of religion, it breeds an environment of tension and intolerance. Violations of freedom of religion or belief may exacerbate intolerance and often constitute early indicators of potential violence and conflicts.

Over the past few years, the world has witnessed a growing number of religiously motivated conflicts and displacement of persons. Across Africa the Middle East and Asia, millions of people have been forced from their homes due to direct religious persecution or the inability to practice their religion freely. Members of vulnerable religious minority groups fall victim to repressive and discriminatory policies, such as criminalization of religious activities and expression, allowing for broader human rights abuses.

The first panel of this conference will address the freedom of religion as a human right and the consequences of its systematic denial. The panellists will discuss how to challenge the discrimination against religious minorities and the widespread impunity with regards to human rights violations. The debate will focus on concrete strategies about how to empower communities in their struggle to realize their human rights on the local, national and regional levels. The second panel will then focus on a number of case studies, including insights from Tibet, a testimony from a Christian Degar-Montagnard refugee, and an account of the recent havoc and bloodshed unravelling in Iraq against religious minorities, such as the Yezidis.

Conference Programme

Opening Remarks

Csaba Sógor MEP (EPP Group)

György Hölvényi MEP (EPP Group), Co-Chair of the EPP WG on Intercultural and Religious Dialogue

Ilhan Kyuchyuk MEP (ALDE Group)

Marino Busdachin, UNPO General Secretary

Panel I: Religious Freedom: A Human Right for All?

Discrimination and Persecution of Religious Minorities: Who, Where, Why, How? – Mr Mark Lattimer, Minority Rights Group International

International Advocacy on Religious Freedom – Challenges and Opportunities – Dr Susan Kerr, Christian Solidarity Worldwide

EU Strategies to Promote Freedom of Religion and Belief Worldwide – Mr Jean-Bernard Bolvin, EEAS Desk Officer on Freedom of Religion

Panel II: The Perspectives of Religious Minority Groups

The Case of Yezidis in Iraq: “Convert to Islam or Die – ISIS Persecution of the Yezidis” – Mr Ameen Farhan, Yezidi MP

The Case of Tibet: Clampdown on Buddhism in China – Mr Vincent Metten, International Campaign for Tibet

The Case of the Degar-Montagnards in Cambodia and Vietnam: A Testimony – Mr Vu Quoc Dung, Executive Director of VETO! Human Rights Defenders’ Network & Ms Penelope Faukner, Que Me: Action for Democracy in Vietnam

Q & A

Closing remarks