Vatican diplomat calls for responsible freedom of expression, warns against censorship of Christian views
June 23, 2025
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CWN Editor's Note: Addressing a session of the UN Human Rights Council, a Vatican diplomat said that the “right to freedom of expression is crucial, as it enables people to share their views and opinions freely, and to seek and receive information to support their decision-making during elections.”
Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, apostolic nuncio and Permanent Observer to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, Switzerland, offered four observations in his June 19 statement:
- “The exercise of freedom of expression during election periods must be conducted in a manner that respects the inherent dignity of every person, as well as for the benefit of the common good.”
- “The right to freedom of expression carries a responsibility for everyone who exercises it, not just media professionals.”
- “There is a need to cultivate digital environments that facilitate open and inclusive dialogue, while safeguarding against attempts to censor, marginalize or cancel certain viewpoints, particularly those rooted on religious and moral convictions.”
- “In this digital age, there is an urgent need to recover the commitment to truth.”
Commenting on his third point, Archbishop Balestrero said that “religious views are a vital contributor to democratic discourse, yet there is an increasing marginalization of religion and religious views, particularly Christianity, even in nations that consider themselves beacons of tolerance.”
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