The Observatory's Report on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians

Observatory's Report - Wed, Apr 4th 2012

The Observatory's Report on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in the Year 2011 was released on March 19th, 2012.

This report portrays the most important developments with regard to freedom of religion, the most striking cases of intolerance and discrimination throughout Europe – and what individuals and institutions say about it. The report includes several statistics as well as analysis of the meaning of freedom of religion in the European context.

Executive Summary of the Report 2011

1. Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians, describing the denial of equal rights and the social marginalization of Christians, is the most explanatory term for this phenomenon in the Western world. Even though this is technically a form of persecution, it must not be called so in Europe, in order to avoid confusion with the crimes committed against Christians in other places of the world.

2. Statistics show the breadth of the problem: 74% of UK respondents said that “there is more negative discrimination against Christians than people of other faiths”. 84% of the strongly increasing vandalism in France is directed against Christian places of worship. In Scotland, 95% of religiously motivated violence targets Christians.

3. The Parliamentary Assembly of OSCE sees the problem, encourages public debate on intolerance and discrimination against Christians in Europe, and calls for a reassessment of legislation with possible negative ramifications for Christians.

4. Countless individuals and institutions have raised their voice in 2011 to draw attention to the growing intolerance against Christians, and to warn that a change is necessary.

5. 180 incidents of intolerance and discrimination against Christians were documented by the Observatory in 2011, several of which are presented in this report in the following categories: Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Expression, Freedom of Conscience, Discriminatory Equality Policies, Exclusion of Christians from Social and Public Life, Repression of Religious Symbols, Insult, Defamation and Negative Stereotyping, Hate Incidents, Vandalism and Desecrations, and Hate Crimes against Individuals.