The EU doesn’t care about victims of non secular repression.
The EU continues to stay deaf to repeated calls of members of the European Parliament, to determined voices of victims of non secular violence and persecution worldwide, to students in spiritual research and human rights defenders in regards to the persistent non-appointment of a brand new EU Special Envoy on FoRB, 300 days after the top of the mandate of its final consultant and 15 months after the final elections of the European Parliament.
On Monday 22 September, Prof. Lucian Leustean, an skilled on freedom of faith in international locations of the EU neighbourhood (Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Serbia…) deplored the continual absence of an EU Special Envoy on FoRB when he analyzed the spiritual scenario within the aforementioned international locations on the invitation of the European Parliament to a gathering of the Special Committee of the European Democracy Shield.
Vain calls from MEPs
On the event of the UN International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief (22 August), MEPs Bert-Jan Ruissen (Co-Chair of the European Parliament Intergroup on Freedom of Religion, Belief and Conscience) and MEP Carlo Fidanza (Vice-Chair of the Intergroup) urged the European Commission to instantly reappoint an EU Special Envoy for the promotion of freedom of faith or perception exterior the EU, a place stored vacant since December 2024. One month later, their request has nonetheless not been fulfilled.
Criticizing the delay regardless of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s written pledge on 5 May 2025 to resume the place, Bert-Jan Ruissen careworn:
“We welcome President von der Leyen’s dedication, however what we’d like now’s concrete motion. The longer this submit stays vacant, the extra the EU’s credibility suffers in its efforts to face up for freedom of perception.”
Carlo Fidanza concluded:
“Every day and not using a Special Envoy is a missed alternative to defend these struggling for his or her religion. Europe should present that it takes its guarantees severely – phrases should not sufficient.”
Since the mandate of EU Special Envoy was created in 2016, the place has repeatedly been stored vacant for lengthy intervals with none convincing rationalization regardless of quite a few calls from members of the European Parliament and civil society organisations within the EU to nominate a brand new Special Envoy.
Current victims of non secular persecution in pressing want of concrete acts from the EU
A couple of international locations the place the motion of the EU Special Envoy could be wanted:
Azerbaijan: Jailing of a conscientious objector to army service
China: Tsang Monastery: one Tibetan monk arrested, a pacesetter commits suicide
Congo Democratic Republic: At least 34 killed in assault on church by Islamic State-backed rebels
Egypt: Hidden epidemic of violence towards Coptic women and girls
India: Mob assault Christian prayer assembly in Odisha
Iran: 38 years and 11 months of imprisonment for six Baha’i girls
Nicaragua: A 50-page report in regards to the persecution of Christians in Nicaragua
Nigeria: Musician challenges blasphemy legislation that put him in jail
Pakistan: Violence towards minorities in Pakistan: Conversions, blasphemy killings on the rise
Sudan: At least 70 folks killed in Rapid Support Forces assault on Darfur mosque
There is not any EU Special Envoy on FoRB to assist these and different victims of violence primarily based on faith or perception with concrete actions. How lengthy will the EU flip a deaf ear to them?
EU Special Envoy on FoRB (2016 – 2025): 5 years out of 10 with out exercise
In a February 2016 decision on Daesh atrocities, the European Parliament “known as for the EU to ascertain a everlasting Special Representative for Freedom of Religion and Belief” exterior the EU. In response to this decision, the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker swiftly created the perform of the Special Envoy for the promotion of freedom of faith or perception exterior the European Union (in brief, EU Special Envoy on FoRB).
Three months later, in May 2016, the primary Special Envoy on FoRB was appointed. It was Jan Figel, former EU Commissioner (2004-2009) and former Slovak Minister of Transport (2010-2012). His mandate was first restricted to 12 months and afterwards prolonged till it expired with the top of time period of Juncker Commission on 30 November 2019. During these three years, Jan Figel was very lively as it may be seen from his 13-page report of actions, specifically his nation visits in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. It was the golden age of the perform.
Elections on the European Parliament happened in May 2019 and within the course of new EU Commissioners had been appointed. For 1 12 months 1/2, the place of EU Special Envoy on FORB remained empty.
On May 5, 2021, the European Commission appointed Christos Stylianides as EU Special Envoy on FoRB). Christos Stylianides had beforehand served because the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management between 2014 and 2019 and because the European Union’s Ebola Coordinator.
He left the European Commission after 4 months for a extra enticing and prestigious place of Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection in Greece’s authorities through which he was sworn in on 10 September 2021. Needless to say that as a result of poor situations of his mandate he couldn’t obtain something throughout these summer season months.
For yet one more 12 months and three months, the place of EU Special Envoy on FoRB remained empty. In truth from 1 December 2019 to December 2022 when a brand new EU Special Envoy was appointed, 3 years handed with none exercise below the mandate of the EU Special Envoy for freedom of faith or perception on the planet!
On 7 December 2022, three years and a half after the earlier EU parliamentary elections and one 12 months and half earlier than the following ones, Baron Frans van Daele (75), a Belgian retired diplomat and former King Filip’s chief of employees, was appointed as the brand new EU Special Envoy on FORB. After such a protracted delay, it can’t be mentioned that the EU had rushed to advertise freedom of faith or perception on the planet.
This final mandate solely lasted for two years and got here to an finish six months after the EU parliamentary elections of June 2024 which had been to be adopted by the appointment of latest EU Commissioners. During the second a part of his mandate, solely restricted political observe up of the EU Special Envoy’s initiatives and actions was subsequently to be anticipated as a result of political transition.
As of early June 2025, the place of EU Special Envoy on FoRB has once more remained empty.
In conclusion, throughout the 10 years of the existence of the submit of EU Special Envoy for freedom of faith or perception on the planet, the mandate has solely been carried out for five years. This is the truth of the information.
Lack of transparency
Again, there has clearly been no political will for the reason that finish of the mandate of Baron Frans van Daele to swiftly appoint a successor.
Noteworthy is that there’s by no means any public name for candidates and appointments are opaque.
President von der Leyen could be properly suggested to observe the great follow of the United Nations in its appointment of Special Rapporteurs on Freedom of Religion or Belief. Another supply of inspiration when it comes to transparency for President von der Leyen is the appointment process of the “Representative on combating racism, xenophobia and discrimination, with a particular deal with discrimination towards Christians and members of different religions” of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). In the meantime, a number of EU member states (Netherlands, Germany, Slovakia…) and the UK have appointed their very own Special Envoys on FoRB…
Last however not least, opacity additionally prevails regarding the monetary administration of the perform of EU Special Envoy and the report of actions of the final EU Special Envoy on FoRB is a minimum of not publicly out there, if it exists. Only EU Special Envoy Jan Figel offered a report of actions with suggestions which was made public just a few days earlier than the the top of his mandate.
