On January 29, 2020 the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) passed a resolution called "The protection of freedom of religion or belief in the workplace".  As all PACE's resolutions, this one is not a binding law for the 47 countries of the Council of Europe. Nevertheless, it has the strength of its consensus amongst European members of national parliaments that represent their countries at the PACE. In terms of soft law, every government in the Council of Europe's should pay attention and head to compliance.
Following a long tradition of resolutions and recommendations by PACE aimed at preserving FoRB, the aforementioned resolution states: 

1. The Parliamentary Assembly recalls that Europe is home to a wide range of religious beliefs and that it promotes the culture of “living together” based on religious pluralism. On many occasions, it has condemned acts of intolerance and discrimination on grounds of religion or belief and has called on Council of Europe member States to take stronger measures to combat such acts.
(...)
6. The Assembly also notes that the presence of members of different religious or non-religious groups may cause challenges in the workplace that some employers may try to resolve by imposing prima facie neutral rules. However, the application of prima facie neutral rules in the workplace – such as those on dress codes, dietary rules, public holidays or labour regulations – can lead to indirect discrimination of representatives of certain religious groups, even if they are not targeted specifically.
7. The Assembly reaffirms that member States have an obligation to ensure non-discrimination in the workplace including on the grounds of religion or belief. The freedom of employees to practice their religion or belief may only be restricted if the restrictions
are in line with human rights law and standards, necessary, proportionate, and pursue a legitimate aim.
8. The Assembly, therefore, calls on Council of Europe member States to:
    8.1. promote a culture of tolerance and “living together” in a religiously pluralist society, in accordance with Articles 9 and 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights and other international legal instruments on human rights protection;
    8.2. ensure that the right of all individuals under their jurisdiction to freedom of thought, conscience and religion is respected without impairing for anyone the other rights guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights and other international human rights instruments;
    8.3. take all necessary measures to combat discrimination based on religion or beliefs in all fields of civil, economic, political and cultural life.
9. Given the importance of the right to manifest one’s religion or belief in the workplace, the Assembly calls on Council of Europe member States to:
    9.1. adopt effective anti-discrimination legislation which covers prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion or belief and establish appropriate monitoring mechanisms to assess its implementation, in case this has not been done yet;
    9.2. take legislative and any other appropriate measures, in order to ensure that employees can lodge claims that their right to non-discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief has been breached;
    9.3. establish appropriate adjudication and other adequate mechanisms to deal with claims of discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief, or any other prohibited grounds;
    9.4. provide training and advice to public and private employers in order to heighten their awareness of the notions of religion and religious diversity, as well as the right to non-discrimination;
    9.5. encourage dialogue between employers, religious communities, trade unions and non-governmental organisations working for the protection of human rights in order to foster co-operation and tolerance;
    9.6. promote the work of national human rights institutions on combating discrimination, including indirect discrimination based on religion or belief, and encourage them to develop training activities for both public and private employers.

You can read the full resolution on PACE website here. 

Religions, Scriptures and Interreligious Dialogue
Is interreligious dialogue part of your religious duties, and what can it do for peace?

Organized by

The European Interreligious Forum for Religious Freedom (EIFRF)

The conference will be translated in English and French 

Father Ignace Berten
Theologian - Dominican Order

Father Stan Ebere Nwigwe
Catholic Priest

Karim Geirnaert
In charge of the conversions to Islam in Belgium
In charge of the Muslim Scouts and Guides of Belgium
President EuroHalal

Rev. Hierodeacon Petar Gramatikov
Bulgarian Orthodox Church - Doctor of Theology

Manik Paul
Hindu community of Belgium

Rev. Eric Roux
Vice President - European Office of the Church of Scientology 
For Public Affairs and Human Rights


Saturday May 5, 2018 from 14h30 to 17h30
Churches of Scientology for Europe - Boulevard Waterloo 103 - Brussels 1000

RSVP at ericroux@europeanaffairs.eu 
Refreshments and hot drinks will be served

The conference, organized by EIFRF, will be held Saturday May 5, 2018 at 14h30. It will be hosted by the European Office of the Church of Scientology for Public Affairs and Human Rights, at Churches of Scientology for Europe – Boulevard Waterloo 103 – Brussels 1000. To reserve your place please contact ericroux@europeanaffairs.eu . The conference will be fully bilingual, French and English.
 
Does interreligious dialogue root into the scriptures of the various faiths? And how religions envision interreligious dialogue as a duty, commanded by religious observance, or by common sense?
 
Beside that considerations, how interreligious dialogue can be an effective tool to forward peace and be used to resolve international or inter-ethnic conflicts?
 
This conference has the purpose of exploring the religious and scriptural roots of interreligious dialog, from the point of view of various faiths, and to develop on the necessity, or the usefulness of interreligious dialogue in the resolution of conflicts in a world that faces extremely challenging situations today. The conference will be followed by questions and answers with the attendees. Refreshments and hot drinks will be served.

On 18/19 January 2018, EIFRF will participate to the International convention "Law and Freedom of Belief in Europe, an arduous journey", organised by the Federation for Freedom of Belief (FoB). EIFRF is an active member of this Federation. Here is the very interesting program and we encourage you to attend this convention.
 

Under the auspices of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, 
Mr Thorbjørn Jagland

Under the patronage of

18 - 19 January 2018
Auditorium Sant'Apollonia
Firenze - Via San Gallo, 25/a

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Partecipation is free till the reaching of the maximum capacity of the hall.
Please, confirm your attendance by writing at: conference@freedomofbelief.com
For info: info@fredomofbelief.net  

How to reach the auditorium

 

PRESENTATION

Within globalization, within pluralism, in a multi-ethnic society, with the many exoduses and with the diversities bursting into our society, protection of civil rights and especially the right to believe and the right for freedom, have become a crucial need for the European Community and the national governments that comprise it. In an uncertain and volatile reality, that protection is our duty and the duty of each country, and the only way to make it valid and effective all over Europe and in each and every country of the Union, is to have European laws as well as European justice enforcement bodies.

With the differences of laws and rulings of each national government, with the pressures of anti-liberal forces and sometimes of nonsense politics, it is not an easy task, the one we are entitled to. Within the protection (with no shyness) of freedom to believe and freedom of religion, dwells a hope for peace, for pacific cohabitation and reciprocal acknowledgment which alone turns the different, the ‘other’, the unknown, into a comrade, a friend and a fellow citizen.

In such often puzzling protection stands the creation, as well, of the most truthful identity for Europe and its role amongst the nations and continents.

PROGRAM

Thursday, 18 January, 8:30am

Registration of partecipants

Welcome address

Professor Silvio Calzolari, Secretary of FOB

Dr. Eugenio Giani, President of the Regional Council of Tuscany

Hon. Riccardo Migliori, Past-president OSCE

Hon. Marietta Tidei, Vice-president OSCE-PA

Hon. Luciano Ciocchetti, Former vice-president of the Lazio Region

Dr. Alessandro Amicarelli, President of FOB

 

I session (moderator Pietro Nocita)

Philosophy and Theory of Law

Professor Pietro Nocita, Lawyer, he taught Criminal Procedure at La Sapienza University in Rome, which awarded him the Diploma of Benevolence

Dr. Fabrizio D’Agostini, Lawyer in Turin

Professor Roberto Celada Ballanti, Universiy of Genoa

Professor Marco Vannini, Philosopher, Florence

Professor Marco Ventura, Universy of Siena

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Thursday, 18 January, 2:30pm

Music with Vincenzo Zitello
(Bardic harp and Celtic harp)

II session - Part 1 (moderator Paolo Naso)

Sociology of Religions

Professor Luigi Berzano, University of Turin

Professor Massimo Introvigne, Sociologist of Religions, Turin

Professor Enzo Pace, University of Padua

Professor Stefano Allievi, University of Padua

Professor Aldo Natale Terrin, University of Padua

II session - Part 2 (moderator Alessandro Amicarelli)

Ideological and Legal Obstacles 
to the Right of Freedom of Belief in Europe

Professor Susan J. Palmer, University of Concordia, Montreal

Dr. Patricia Duval, Lawyer in Paris, France

Mr Willy Fautre, Director of Human Rights Without Frontiers Int., Austria

Mr Thierry Valle, Director of NGO CAP Liberté de Conscience, France

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Friday, 19 January, 8:00am

III session (moderator Fabrizio d’Agostini)

Ecclesiastical Law

Professor Germana Carobene, University of Naples

Professor Nicola Colaianni, University of Bari, former Magistrate of the Supreme Court of Cassation

Dr. Alessandro Amicarelli, Lawyer in London, Human Rights specialist

Professor Muamar Salameh, University Prince Mohammed bin Fahd, Dhahran

IV session (moderator Silvio Calzolari)

History of Religions and Legal Aspects
of Religious Confessions

Professor Silvio Calzolari, High  Institute of Religious Studies, Florence

Professor Paolo Naso, University La Sapienza, Rome

Professor David Monti, Magistrate at the Milan Court

Dr. Nelly Ippolito Macrina, Deputy Prefect, former director of the Division for the Affairs of Religious Groups other than the Roman Catholic of the Ministry of the Interior

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Friday, 19 January, 2:30pm

Music with Flavio Cucchi
(classic guitar)

Round Table (moderator Luigi Berzano)

Law and Freedom of Belief in Europe

Ms Camelia Marin, project coordinator SOTERIA International, Denmark

Mr Eric Roux, director of EIFRF, France

Imam Izzeddin Elzir, Minister of Islam in Florence, president UCOII

Professor Mohamed Bamoshmoosh, Islamic Community of Florence and Tuscany

Dr. Fabio Fanfani, Consul - Vice Dean of the Consular Body of Florence

Professor dr. Stefano Grossi, Teacher of ethics and anthropology at the Theological Faculty of Central Italy

Mr Martin Weightman, director of All Faiths Network, England

Dr. Faisal Yousif Al Anezi, Director Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz center for peace and tolerance, Saudi Arabia

Professor Thierry Vissol, Director of LIBREXPRESSION Center, Rome

Dr. Andrea Bottai, Soka Gakkai Regional In-charge for Tuscany

Ms Rosita Šorytė, President ORLIR, International Observatory of Religious Liberty of Refugees

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For press accreditation write to conference@freedomofbelief.net .

 

On Friday 13 October, 28 parliamentarians at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, coming from 14 European countries and members of the four main political groups at the Assembly, signed a written declaration published on the Council of Europe’s website, calling respectfully upon the Russian government to intervene to “put an end to violations of the Right to Freedom of Religion or belief of members of religious minorities in Russia”.
The declaration reads that “Evangelicals, Lutherans, Baptists, Pentecostals, Methodists, Presbyterians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Scientologists and others have been targeted, with some of their members sentenced to pre-trial imprisonment based on the 2002 Extremist law, while in reality being held for simply engaging in peaceful religious beliefs and activities.”
This declaration, of which signatories are members of national parliaments in Portugal, Spain, Italy, UK, and 10 other countries, appears in a context of strong religious discrimination in Russia, where religious minorities suffer unlawful treatments by some authorities. Recently, Jehovah’s Witnesses, a Christian denomination that rejects violence, has been banned as “extremist,” by a decision of the Supreme court.
Protests from Russian human rights defenders have risen throughout the Russian Federation, as discriminatory treatments are increasingly unfair towards Russia’s own citizens.
Recently, Lyudmila Alexeyeva, a very well-known Russian human rights activist whom Putin personally visited on her 90th birthday this year, has published an open letter to the President in the top National magazine the Kommersant, followed by 100 Russian human rights activists, protesting against the unfair treatment of Scientologists in Russia, following the arrest of five of their religious leaders on the spurious charges of “extremism”, based on the law on extremism of 2002, which, according to the European Parliamentarians, “provides no clear definition for the term ‘extremism,’ thus rendering virtually any group or individual vulnerable to political and legal harassment.”
EIFRF is a Non-Governmental Organization registered in France, officially recognized by the French administration as being of “philanthropic general interest”. It is a non-political organization, and independent from any specific faith or religious organization. Its purpose is to promote freedom of religion or belief, religious tolerance and interfaith dialog throughout Europe.

Contact: eiforumrf@gmail.com

Petar Gramatikov

Petar Gramatikov is a hierodeacon of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. He has a Master's Degree in Theology and has been awarded a title of Doctor (Didiaskalos) of the Universal Orthodox Church by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1999. He has been teaching theology since more than 20 years and is also currently chief expert in religious questions in the municipality of Plovdiv. He is vice President of the Eastern European Forum for Dialogue-Bridges NGO. He has been working for years in the field of Human rights, defending the traditional view of Orthodox church in terms of respect for all beliefs, beside all theological conceptions. From 2014 to 2022, Petar was also an elected trustee of the Global Council Trustees of URI (United Religions Initiative).

Hans Noot Johannus

D. T. (Hans) Noot is Coordinator of Religious Education in Belgium and the Netherlands and advisor to Seminaries and Institutes in Eastern Europe for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in organizational behavior from Brigham Young University (BYU) and is currently working on a Ph.D. in organizational anthropology at the University of Tilburg in the Netherlands. He worked extensively for years for the promotion of Religious Freedom in Europe, Middle and East Asia and Middle East, and is the president of the Gerard Noodt Foundation for Freedom of Religion or Belief (www.noodtFoRB.eu) and a member of the International Advisory Board of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies at BYU.

Ranjit Singh

Ranjit Singh is the Director of Public Affairs of the French Sikh community. He holds a Master in Law & Economics at University Paris 2 Panthéon Assas. He also worked for the Ministry of foreign affairs of India, and is a human rights activist in religious freedom issues as well as migrants fundamental rights issues.