REPORT 2018 Ellen Fantini, JD, Executive Director Möllwaldplatz 5, A-1040 Vienna, Austria Tel: +43 (0)1 274 98 98 Email:
[email protected] www.IntoleranceAgainstChristians.eu Permission granted for unlimited use. Credit required. Cover photo by Hugues de BUYER-MIMEURE on Unsplash. The Observatory’s Mission To contribute to a Europe where Christians may fully exercise their fundamental rights to freedom of religion, conscience, expression, and association, without fear of reprisals, censorship, threats, or violence. Who we are The Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians is a registered non- governmental organization in Austria and a member of the Fundamental Rights Platform of the EU-Fundamental Rights Agency. What we do » Research, analyze, document, and report cases of intolerance and discrimination against Christians in Europe; » Inform and educate the public, lawmakers, and international institutions about the range of hostilities and marginalization Christians and Christian institutions face in Europe by providing reliable and objective data; » Empower Christians to tell their stories and freely live their faith in the public square; » Advocate for remedies; and » Emphasize the vital role religion plays in a mature and peaceful society. The Observatory’s task is to analyze the situation for Christians in Europe. We do so not in order to compare or diminish the persecution they experience in other parts of the world, but to stay vigilant in the protection of human rights. Our work aims at encouraging victims of intolerance and discrimination to tell their stories, and to raise awareness among all people of good will that the phenomenon ought to be taken seriously and is in need of a common response.