Aug. 22 marks International Day of Victims of Religious Persecution

Lima Newsroom, Aug 22, 2024 / 18:30 pm (CNA).

Every Aug. 22 the International Day of Victims of Acts of Violence based on Religion or Belief is commemorated, an observance established by the UN General Assembly on May 28, 2019.

In resolution A/RES/73/296, the United Nations expresses its concern over “continuing acts of intolerance and violence based on religion or belief against individuals, including against persons belonging to religious communities and religious minorities around the world.”

The resolution reminds member states that “they have the primary responsibility to promote and protect human rights, including the human rights of persons belonging to religious minorities, including their right to exercise their religion or belief freely.”

Ewelina Ochab, a lawyer and writer, specializing in the situation of religious minorities in the Middle East, was one of the main promoters of the initiative approved by the UN. In August 2019, she said that  “it was a long process with many participants, but Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) was the inspiration.”

Ochab said that having a date to remember the victims and survivors of religious persecution is not “a goal in itself,” but is important “so as not to forget our commitments” and “the beginning of a long campaign to prevent more victims in the future.”

The international executive president of ACN, Thomas Heine-Geldern, explained in 2019 the commemoration of this international day is something that “we have been waiting for for a long time” and represents “an important step so that in the future the voice of persecuted Christians is heard more.”

The pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need has been working for Christians who are persecuted for their faith for more than 70 years.

Heine-Geldern also said that this commemoration should initiate “a process that will lead the international community to a coordinated plan of action to end religious persecution and prevent it in the future.”

“In reality, it is the duty of the United Nations, governments and political actors to enforce the human right to religious freedom. This symbolic day must now be followed by concrete actions,” he emphasized.

The ACN CEO also stressed that although “all religious communities regularly suffer attacks, international reports on religious freedom unfortunately confirm that Christians are the most persecuted.”

In its 2023 report on religious freedom, ACN revealed that “the fundamental right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion is violated in one in three countries (31%), or in 61 out of 196 nations.”

Thus “almost 4.9 billion people, or 62% of the world’s population, live in countries where religious freedom is severely restricted.”

As for Christians, the pontifical foundation estimates that 325 million believers are persecuted for their religion, especially in countries where they are a religious minority.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Catholic World Report