UN experts and diplomats highlighted the rising tension of violent incidents and legal restrictions affecting Christians in Europe during an event on the sidelines of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

The discussion, titled “Standing with Persecuted Christians – Defending the Faith and Christian Values,” brought together diplomats, religious freedom experts, and representatives of civil society organizations. At the center was the issue of persecution against Christians, which, as emphasized, should be examined within the broader context of human rights protection, according to Orthodox Times.

UN special rapporteur on religious freedom, Nazila Ghanea, noted that individuals persecuted for their faith often face multiple forms of violations. She stressed that protecting human dignity is a fundamental principle of the international human rights system, and persecuted Christians should not feel isolated.

Nearly 400 Million Christians Face Persecution

The international dimension of the issue was highlighted by Catholic Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, the Holy See’s permanent observer to the UN and other international organizations in Geneva.

According to the data he presented, about 400 million Christians worldwide experience some form of persecution or violence due to their faith, making Christians the religious community most affected by such phenomena.

He further noted that attacks continue to have deadly consequences: nearly 5,000 Christians were killed in 2025 for reasons related to their faith—an average of 13 people per day. He also emphasized that states have a clear obligation to protect religious freedom, taking measures both to prevent and respond to violations, even when they are committed by third parties.

Incidents in Europe

During the event, data showed that similar phenomena are not limited to other regions but are also recorded in Europe. According to the information presented, in 2024, more than 760 hate crime incidents against Christians were reported, including church arsons, attacks on individuals, and vandalism of church properties.

Anja Tang, representative of the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe, warned that both violent incidents and legal restrictions affecting the free expression of religious beliefs are on the rise. She noted cases in which citizens faced legal proceedings simply for publicly expressing their religious views peacefully.

The discussion concluded with a call to strengthen mechanisms protecting religious freedom at the international level. Event coordinator Zsófia Havasi stressed that defending persecuted Christians does not mean giving preferential treatment to a specific group, but contributes to the overall strengthening of religious freedom protections for everyone.