Germany’s Special Representative for Religious Freedom and Weltanschauungsfreiheit, Thomas Rachel, has issued a strong call for bolstering protections for these fundamental rights globally.
Rachel highlighted a persistent pattern of violent attacks and acts of aggression directed towards individuals based on their religious beliefs or philosophical convictions. He emphasized that religious and Weltanschauungsfreiheit is not merely an abstract concept, but can represent a matter of life and death for many.
The Representative noted that across numerous nations, people face persecution, arbitrary detention, discrimination, hate speech and administrative harassment solely because of their faith or worldview. He stressed the urgent responsibility of all states to comprehensively protect religious minorities and to ensure accountability for those responsible for discrimination and violence.
Furthermore, Rachel underscored the crucial role that religious communities and civil society organizations can play in strengthening these freedoms and fostering peaceful coexistence. He affirmed his commitment to upholding the right of every individual to practice, change, or abstain from religion or Weltanschauung, either individually or collectively.
Rachel cautioned that, particularly amidst rising authoritarian tendencies and societal polarization, it is vital to safeguard democracy and the rule of law, as well as promote empathy, compassion and open dialogue within communities.
