Protect religious freedom: Achbishop Tomasi

July 07, 2012: “Religious strife is a danger to social, political, and economic development” said Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi, the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, noting recent attacks on Christian communities and their churches in different countries throughout the world. While Speaking at the 20th Session of the Human Rights Council on 3^rd July the Archbishop pointed out to “the widening gap between the commitment and the stated principles of the international community regarding freedom of religion, conscience, and belief and the right to freedom of assembly, and the implementation of these fundamental human rights.”
Archbishop Tomasi said, “Due to the unstable economic and political contexts in States throughout the world, it is essential that all human rights, and most especially the right to religious freedom, be protected.”
He stated the position of the Holy See delegation that “religious freedom cannot be restricted merely to freedom of worship. Also included in this fundamental freedom should be the right to preach, educate, receive new adherents, contribute to political discourse, as well as participate in public activities” the Archbishop added.
The Archbishop also spoke about the necessity of upholding and protecting the right to freedom of conscience: “Believers should not be forced by governments to choose between conformity to governmental policies or legislation and faithfulness to religious tenets and beliefs.”
Concluding his remarks, Archbishop Tomasi called on “every State to ensure, protect and promote the legitimate right of people to have, practice and to express their own religion or belief freely and without any type of coercion and violence and without the constant fear of becoming victims of anti-religious attacks that destroy their fundamental human rights.”