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Eastern Europe
UN criticises Ukraine for unfair treatment of UOC
Ukrainian municipalities go beyond their authority when banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. That is the opinion of the Office of the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights (UNHCR). Ending a lease agreement or forbidding activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), which is on paper connected to Moscow, is discriminatory,…
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Western Europe
Belgian parliamentary committee approves ban on conversion therapy
The Parliamentary Justice Committee in Belgium has approved a bill that criminalises conversion therapies. According to the bill, anyone who participates in conversion practices risks a prison sentence between 8 days and two years and a fine of between 208 and 2,400 euros, Euractiv reports. And if the conversion therapy…
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Northern Europe
New Culture Minister of Norway is happy about conversion ban
One of the first things Lubna Jaffery did after she became the new Minister for Culture and Equality in Norway was praise her predecessor for establishing a law to ban conversion therapy. “That is only thanks to you”, she told Anette Trettebergstuen on Wednesday. Jaffery called the ban a historic…
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Western Europe
Dutch Parliament passes proposal for child euthanasia
The Dutch MPs have shown overwhelming support for a regulation that allows euthanasia for children between 1 and 12 years old. Children as young as one year old should be able to undergo euthanasia if their suffering is unbearably and endlessly, the regulation of Health Minister Kuipers reads. Currently, he…
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Northern Europe
Swedish Quran burning met with scorn
Sweden allowed another Koran burning on Wednesday. Swedish Christians have mixed feelings about this. However, the protest may also have geopolitical implications. They were intended to shock the Muslim community in Sweden. Still, the actions of Salwan Momika were mostly met with scorn. On Wednesday, Mr. Momika laid a strip…
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Western Europe
Headscarf, kippah and crosses become forbidden for Dutch police officers
Dutch police officers must not show any religious symbols. Their uniform ought to be completely neutral, the Dutch Justice Minister says. Therefore, she has introduced a ban on headscarves and other religious clothing for the police force. The so-called clothing regulations will now mention “religious neutrality” explicitly. “This rule gives…
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Central Europe
EKD no longer participates in Week for Life
The Protestant Church of Germany (EKD) says to withdraw itself from the Week for Life. Since 1994, the EKD and the German Bishops' Conference worked together in organising the Week for Life. However, on Friday, the EKD Council informed the Conference that it would no longer participate in this. That…
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European Union
Evangelical Alliance demands better protection Ukrainian refugees
The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) calls upon the special UN rapporteur for human trafficking to provide more protection for people affected by the Russo-Ukrainian war. The Ukrainian crisis has left many people vulnerable to human trafficking. Therefore, the United Nations should do more to protect them, the World Evangelical Alliance…
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Northern Europe
Norwegian cabinet stops lowering age of consent
The government coalition in Norway has wiped all proposals to lower the age of consent for sexual acts off the table. It has not really been a topic for the Labour Party, and there has not been a major demand from the population or the political environment, Maria Aasen Svensrud,…
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Southern Europe
Maltese government tightens abortion proposal
For a while, abortion activists hoped the government of Malta would finally tear down the ban on terminating pregnancies. However, they seem to be disappointed by the government. In Malta, abortion is illegal in all circumstances. Even when the mother's life is at stake, treatment is not possible if it…
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