Anti-Christian violence and legal pressure rising in Europe, UN experts told

March 10, 2026

The United Nations Human Rights Council has been warned by experts and diplomats that anti-Christian violence is on the rise in Europe and that stronger legal protections are needed worldwide.

The Christian Post reports that Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians said the warning was issued during an event held in Geneva titled “Standing with Persecuted Christians, Defending the Faith and Christian Values.”

The executive director of the observatory, Anja Tang explained that the observatory has documented increasing numbers of cases involving legal pressure on Christians, saying, “Several European governments have targeted individuals through criminal procedures for peacefully expressing their religious beliefs.”

According to the Orthodox Times, more than 724 anti-Christian hate crimes were recorded across Europe in 2024 with 2,211 violent incidents against Christians documented across the continent during that same year.

Speakers at the gathering reported that some restrictions arise from laws affecting religious expression in schools, legal disputes involving internal church governance, or public expressions of faith such as prayer or baptisms.

Tang also referenced neutrality laws that limit religious references in schools and legal disputes that affect parental rights in education and the internal autonomy of religious communities.

Nazila Ghanea, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, told attendees that violence against Christians often includes wider violations of fundamental rights and should be understood within the broader system of international human rights protections.

Ghanea said the global human rights framework acknowledges the interconnected nature of human rights and places emphasis on human dignity, adding, “Christians do not and should not stand alone.”

Photo: top, Credit: Ina Fassbender/AFP via Getty Images