Council of Europe condemns violence against Middle East Christians

January 28, 2011

Denouncing “Christianophobia,” the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe has passed a resolution condemning violence against Christians in the Middle East and calling for the development of “a list of measures against states which knowingly fail to protect religious denominations.”

The assembly called upon European nations to “refrain from encouraging the members of the Christian communities in the Middle East to seek refuge in Europe, except in cases where the survival of such communities becomes impossible; in the latter cases, member states should take fully.” At the same time, the resolution urged European states to “develop a comprehensive policy of asylum based on religious grounds, which would acknowledge in particular the specific situation of those who convert to another religion”-- a clear reference to Muslim converts to Christianity who face the prospect of death in their native lands.

 

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Further information:

• Violence against Christians in the Middle East (Council of Europe)
• Council of Europe (Wikipedia)