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Central Europe
Swiss population secularises more and more
The part of the Swiss population that says not to belong to a particular religious group or has a certain conviction grows. That is shown by a Measurements and sociological observation of attitudes in Switzerland study. Of the Swiss, 34.8 per cent consider themselves free from any religion. That is…
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Eastern Europe
Ukrainian pastor killed by shelling
Yevhen Bilotserkivskyi, the Baptist pastor of the Salvation church in Kupyansk-Vuzlovy, was killed when his hometown in the region of Kharkiv was hit by shelling. He died at the age of 41. Pastor Bilotserkivskyi was working outside on his farm on Sunday when a shell fragment hit his heart. That…
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Southern Europe
Spanish minister assures that trans and abortion law will not restrict freedom of conscience
Félix Bolaños, the Minister of the Presidency in Spain assured that the new transgender law and the changed abortion legislation will not violate religious freedom or interfere with the freedom of conscience. He did so after he received a critical report from the Federation of Evangelical Religious Entities of Spain…
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Eastern Europe
Going to Russian Orthodox Church leads to demand of dismissal in Ukraine
Eva Semkiv, the head of the village of Verkhnya Yablonka in the Lviv region, requested the authorities to fire a school director and teachers for attending church services from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). The UOC belongs to the Moscow Patriarchate. In a letter to the chairman of the Lviv…
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Central Europe
German broadcaster obliges journalists to respect existence of Israel
The German news broadcaster Deutsche Welle has added the “right to existence of the state Israel” to the internal guidelines for journalists. This became necessary after the labour courts had decided that the general policy of anti-discrimination was not enough to fire people. Earlier this year, DW fired seven journalists…
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Western Europe
Dutch Human Rights College calls parliament to accept trans bill
The Dutch Parliament will soon look at a new transgender law. The College for Human Rights in the Netherlands encourages MPs to vote in favour of the bill. In a letter to the Parliament, the College writes that the proposal is an “important step forward in the protection and promotion…
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Northern Europe
Even under conversion ban, Norwegian preacher can still say no to homosexuality
Christians are allowed to preach that homosexuality is a sin. Yet, they cannot argue that statements of this kind fall under voluntarily chosen conversion therapy. That is the opinion of Anette Trettebergstuen, the Norwegian Minister for Culture and Equality. Last June, Trettebergstuen presented a new bill to ban conversion therapy.…
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Central Europe
Photo feature: March for Life in Germany
The German pro-life movement had hoped to see more people at the March for Life in Berlin, last Saturday. But the 3,000 were able to bring their message across. “On Mars, even one cell would be seen as life”, one banner said. Quite funny, seen from the decades-long search for…
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Southern Europe
Spanish lake to get legal personhood as the first ecosystem ever
The Spanish government is working on a law that would give Mar Menor, a lagoon in South-Eastern Spain, the same legal status as a person. Last week, the Senate looked at the proposal. It will most likely be returned to Congress without any amendments in the coming weeks. The lagoon…
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Central Europe
European Court wipes Polish blasphemy ruling off the table
Polish pop star Dorota Rabczewska, also known as Doda, was convicted and fined for blasphemy ten years ago. Last Thursday, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that this verdict violated Rabczewska's right to freedom of expression. In an interview broadcast in 2009, the Polish singer was asked about her…
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