30 Amendments of György HÖLVÉNYI related to 2021/2055(INI)
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Takes note that churches play a critical role to ensure peace as a mediator and are contributing to social cohesion and stability also as providers of basic social services;
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1 b. Notes that young people in developing countries are particular vulnerable to extremist ideologies and quality education is key to combat radicalisation; notes that extremist movements often exploit the weak presence of the State in rural areas;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 32
Citation 32
— having regard to its resolution of 29 April 2021 on blasphemy laws in Pakistan, in particular the case of Shagufta Kausar and Shafqat Emmanuel9 , its resolution of 14 April 2016 on Pakistan, in particular the attack in Lahore, and its resolution of 13 December 2018 on Iran, notably the case of Nasrin Sotoudeh, __________________ 9 Texts adopted, P9_TA(2021)0157.
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recognises that FBOs cover approximately 40 % of healthcare and a significant part of education in sub-Saharan Africa alone1 , while their role remains mostly unrecognised, underlines that churches and faith based organisations are contributing to human development; _________________ 1 https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/1 0665/43884/9789241596626_eng.pdf
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas discrimination and persecution of religious is carried out by different actors – whether governments or other groups in society – and can take different forms, such as killings, torture, physical attacks, arbitrary arrests, coercion, forced conversion, kidnapping and forced marriage, forced birth control, forced displacement, various forms of human trafficking (slavery, sexual or labour exploitation), threats, exclusion, discriminatory and unfair treatment, harassment, expropriation of private properties, limitation of access to elective offices, employment, education, health and administration services, destruction of places of worship, cemeteries and cultural heritage, and online hate speech;
Amendment 43 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Recognises that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated persecution and violence against religious minorities in some of the developing countries; denounces the use of freedom-restricting measures as part of pandemic-prevention measures to discriminate against religious minorities; calls on partner developing countries to develop inclusive social protection systems that do not discriminate against minorities on religious grounds or on any other grounds in terms of equal access to health care, food, humanitarian assistance or education; calls on the EU to better equip itself with instruments that enable it to better target the most vulnerable populations, including religious minorities;
Amendment 48 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4 b. Acknowledges the special role which religious leaders, faith-based organizations, and faith communities play in COVID-19 education, preparedness, and response; notes that religious leaders are integrated into their communities through service and compassionate networks and are often able to reach the most vulnerable with assistance and health information and identify those most in need; notes that religious leaders are a critical link in the safety net for vulnerable people within their faith community and wider communities;
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas in numerous conflicts and crises around the world, attacks on cultural heritage have been an instrument of symbolic violence and the politicization of cultural heritage, often when including its religious aspects directly contributing to humanitarian crises, displacement and migration, the violation of religious and cultural rights as well as human dignity; whereas these can polarize either a society, a country, a region, an ethnical group or a community and increase the risk of violent conflict, thus cultural heritage destruction and looting can be a weapon of war, and a warning sign for future mass atrocities; whereas, furthermore, these represent major obstacles to dialogue, peace and reconciliation;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
Cb. whereas the destruction of cultural heritage renders communities, especially religious communities, vulnerable as they are deprived of an important part of their identity, while extremist groups and other conflict parties can easily spread their influence in areas where identities and social cohesion have been weakened and divisions in communities been reinforced;
Amendment 63 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Underlines that delivering humanitarian assistance must be free from any kind of discrimination, and strongly condemns any discrimination based on religious affiliation in distributing humanitarian assistance;
Amendment 65 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Amendment 76 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Calls on the Commission and the EEAS to mainstream, in the EU’s external actions, the protection of freedom of religion and belief, as well as the right to change or abandon one's religion and belief without coercion, notably in developing countries;
Amendment 78 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Takes the view that, regardless of their religion and belief, it is essential to promote and ensure the inclusion of all equal and inclusive citizenship for all in their societizens in their societieses, where the members of religious minorities live, and in political and cultural life;
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Underlines that although it is usually religious minorities that are the target of persecution or intolerance, there are cases in which persecution is also suffered by religious communities that are not sociologically minorities and have a large presence in a territory or state, but find themselves in a situation of vulnerability that makes them easy targets of intolerance and violence by terrorist groups that seek to subjugate, expel and, in some cases, exterminate them;
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses that among believers’ groups, Christians are estimated to constitute the majority of people facing persecution for their faith; underlines that globally around 340 million Christians experience high levels of persecution and discrimination, with over 4 500 Christians killed for their faith, 4 500 churches and other Christian buildings attacked, and over 4 200 believers detained without trial, arrested, sentenced or imprisoned in 2020 alone; is alarmed about the increase in the overall level of discrimination,stresses that these are minimum figures since many incidents go unreported; is alarmed about the increase in the overall level of persecution and discrimination, which increased by 19% between 2019 and 2020; and especially about the sharp 60% increase in the number of faith-related killings compared to 2019;
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Recalls that indigenous religious communities, among others Christians in the Middle East countries, contribute profoundly to the social stability, conflict prevention and peace of their countries;
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Applauds churches’ and faith based organisations’ irreplaceable humanitarian activities in conflict-hit zones, assisting people in dire need regardless of denominational background;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Notes with particular concern that persecution of Christians is widespread in the Middle East, at times amounting to genocide, and has prompted an exodus of Christians from the region over the past two decades, resulting in approximately 15 million Christians making up 4 % of the population in the Middle East and North Africa, down from 20 % a century ago; is alarmed by the situation in Iraq, where there were 1.5 million Christians before 2003, a number now reduced by 87% within one generation to approximately 175,000;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Notes with particular concern that persecution of Christians is widespread in the Middle East, at times amounting to genocide, and has prompted an exodus of Christians from the region over the past two decades, resulting in approximately 15 million Christians making up 4 % of the population in the Middle East and North Africa, down from 20 % a century ago; stresses in this respect the inalienable right to stay of discriminated and persecuted religious communities in their homelands;
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Recalls the genocides, crimes against humanity and war crimes were committed in Iraq and Syria by the so- called ‘ISIS/Daesh’ against Christians, Yazidis, Muslims and other religious and ethnic minorities in the territories under its control during the period 2014-2020;
Amendment 190 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Notes that persecution of religious minorities in Asia is commonplace in many countries, especially in those with communist regimes, and that blasphemy laws are of particular concern, particularly in Pakistan, that disproportionately target minorities, including Christians and Hindus; notes that in addition to the penalties, these laws create an environment and pretext that lead to riots and mob violence against religious minorities’ communities and neighbourhoods as well as their temples, which create intimidation and social unrest among them;
Amendment 219 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Condemns the violence and attacks by radical Hindus in India against religious minorities, including mobs;
Amendment 239 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Recalls that after major defeats of 'ISIS/Daesh' in Syria and the Middle East, the terror organisation is gaining new ground through its affiliates in the Sahel, among others in Mali and Burkina Faso, aiming at imposing its rule and violent ideology in the area;
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Emphasises the need to investigate and prosecute the murdering, kidnapping, raping, wounding and other crimes committed against Christian farmers in the Middle Belt of Nigeria, and encourages the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to enlarge the ongoing investigations for the crimes against humanity and war crimes presumably committed by Boko Haram, adding the mentioned crimes committed by jihadist Fulani militias in the Middle Belt, that have already provoked thousands of killings;
Amendment 300 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Deplores the fact that more than 70 countries in the world enforce criminal laws or seek to introduce new legislation which provide for punishments for blasphemy, apostasy and conversion, including the death sentence; notes that laws already in place are used disproportionately against people belonging to religious minorities, and are thus seen, with good reason, as an instrument of oppression; calls for the EU to intensify its political dialogue with all countries concerned with a view to repeal those laws; underlines that converts leaving a majority faith often experience the most severe violations including imprisonment, forced divorce, abduction, physical violence and murder;
Amendment 308 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28a. Stresses the importance of intercultural dialogue, including interfaith dialogue as a catalyst for reconciliation that can contribute to heal the scars of war and rebuild society, to ensure an adequate vision for the future while learning to live together peacefully and constructively in a multicultural context, developing a sense of community, belonging and mutual trust to envisage a peaceful common future, thus the EU shall use the collaboration in the protection of cultural heritage as a confidence building measure between religions, communities, ethnic groups and states including the protection of cultural heritage as part of CSDP missions planning and operational documents and ensure relevant expertise in the field;
Amendment 324 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30a. Encourages the Commission to assist and support members of religious minorities and their families, who look for international protection or are IDPs due to war, violence and persecution, and who are willing to voluntary return to their home places, including the reconstruction of their homes, livelihoods and basic infrastructures, such as schools and hospitals;
Amendment 326 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30a. Underlines the need of enhancing the EU’s role, as a value based actor, in preserving peace, preventing conflict and strengthening international security by adding cultural heritage within the EU’s toolbox as a factor contributing to the development of peace, reconciliation and mutual understanding, intercultural and inter-faith dialogue, international solidarity, identities and social cohesion, capacity building, local, inclusive and sustainable development, cities’ and regions’ regeneration;
Amendment 345 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 a (new)
Paragraph 33 a (new)
33a. Welcomes the regular contacts and cooperation of EU institutions with CSOs, including Churches and religious communities, to improve the situation of persecuted religious minorities in third countries, and overcome the difficulties and obstacles they have to face in their everyday life; encourages EU institutions to intensify partnerships with CSOs, including Churches and religious communities, in particular with those in third countries dealing with religious freedom and supporting and assisting religious minorities, and leaders of persecuted religious minorities, in order to advance religious freedom and to improve the wellbeing of religious minorities’ faithful, in particular those who are in most vulnerable situations;