Holy See “disappointed” by the report of the Human Rights Council

Olga Sakun – Vatican City

The Holy See, represented by Archbishop Ivan Yurkovich, Permanent Observer to the UN and other international organizations in Geneva, expressed concern and disappointment over the new report on freedom of religion presented at the 46th session of the UN Human Rights Council. The report focused on Islamophobia and makes no mention of other large groups of believers who are victims of hatred, discrimination and persecution around the world.

According to the Holy See, exclusive attention to one religious group carries the risk of discord and polarization of the international community. Recognizing the significant work done by the rapporteur, Monsignor Jurkovic noted that all acts of religious intolerance and persecution should be condemned, since the method proposed in the report may itself become a sophisticated form of discrimination. He believes this is especially important today, in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the concept of religious freedom seems “vague” in connection with the need to protect against the spread of the virus.