{"id":11453,"date":"2025-12-17T09:21:45","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T10:21:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.globaltalenthq.com\/?p=11453"},"modified":"2025-12-22T18:41:55","modified_gmt":"2025-12-22T18:41:55","slug":"eu-nation-disrupting-normal-religious-life-un-experts-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.globaltalenthq.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/17\/eu-nation-disrupting-normal-religious-life-un-experts-2\/","title":{"rendered":"EU nation \u2018disrupting normal religious life\u2019 \u2013 UN experts"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Estonian government is creating an \u201cadversarial environment\u201d for the country\u2019s largest denomination, a panel has warned<\/strong><\/p>\n

Estonian authorities are undermining religious freedoms by fostering an “adversarial environment”<\/em> for the country’s largest church community because of its spiritual ties to Russia, a panel of experts advising the UN Human Rights Council has warned.<\/p>\n

In a statement issued on Monday, the experts criticized Tallinn’s approach toward the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church (EOCC), which maintains canonical links with the Russian Orthodox Church. They pointed to a series of administrative actions, a court decision that stripped the EOCC of state funding on security grounds, and a proposed legislative amendment that the panel said would “disproportionately affect a single religious community.”<\/em><\/p>\n

“Canonical identity, ecclesiastical hierarchy and spiritual allegiance are integral components of the freedom of religion and are fully protected under international law,”<\/em> the three-member panel emphasized.<\/p>\n

The experts highlighted as particularly troubling a bill being advanced in the Estonian parliament despite objections from President Alar Karis. He has argued that the proposed ban on religious organizations accused of links to a foreign entity labeled a security threat by the government would violate the constitution.<\/p>\n

\n
\n READ MORE: <\/span>Baltic parliament defies president
\n <\/a>\n <\/p>\n

The panel also condemned refusals to grant rent agreements and residency permits to clergy, stating: “Such actions disrupt normal religious life and may undermine the autonomy that should be granted under freedom of religion or belief.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Moscow has long accused Estonia of pursuing discriminatory policies allegedly driven by entrenched Russophobia. The Estonian Orthodox Christian Church includes both ethnic Estonians and members of the country’s sizable Russian-speaking minority among its faithful.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Estonian government is creating an \u201cadversarial environment\u201d for the country\u2019s largest denomination, a panel has warned Estonian authorities are undermining religious freedoms by fostering an “adversarial environment” for the country’s largest church community because of its spiritual ties to Russia, a panel of experts advising the UN Human Rights…<\/p>\n

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