EU Countries: Religious Hatred
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his European counterparts on (a) religiously motivated hate crimes and (b) hostility toward religious (i) figures and (ii) communities in Europe.
Answered by Stephen Doughty
The UK condemns incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, wherever this occurs, and we denounce hatred on the basis of religion or belief. We are committed to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all. No one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in. We continue to address FoRB violations and protect the right to FoRB through our strong relationships with European counterparts, multilateral engagement - including through the UN, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and Article 18 Alliance - and through our bilateral work. Ministers and FCDO officials regularly raise cases of concern. The appointment of David Smith MP, as the Special Envoy for FoRB, is a clear signal of the UK's ongoing commitment to these efforts.
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