Evangelicals advocate for a fresh law safeguarding religious freedom in Italy at the United Nations
In a significant push for religious freedom reform, the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) and the Italian Evangelical Alliance (Alleanza Evangelica Italiana, AEE) have called on the Italian government to establish a new Religious Freedom Act. This call was made during the United Nations Human Rights Council's 59th session in Geneva, Switzerland, where the WEA addressed the council on behalf of religious minorities facing discrimination in Italy.
The WEA highlighted specific cases of religious discrimination, including the Breccia Di Roma evangelical church in Rome and the Pentecostal church in Albano Laziale, near Rome. The Breccia church, despite its status as a place of worship, has been denied tax-free status due to a court ruling that deemed its building lacked traditional attributes of Roman Catholic places of worship. Consequently, the church has been required to pay taxes on a commercial basis. The Pentecostal church in Albano Laziale, on the other hand, has not been granted permission to build its temple.
These cases were presented by Nadia van der Sar, representing the WEA, during the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) session of Italy. Van der Sar urged the Italian government to grant state agreements to religious communities awaiting approval and to modernise the law, establishing clear criteria for all municipalities in Italy.
The WEA's call for reform was echoed at a conference held in Rome in February 2025, attended by members of religious minorities, academics, and politicians. The conference proposed the modernisation of the law and the establishment of clear criteria for all municipalities in Italy.
Despite these calls, there has been no legislative action reported in Italy directly addressing these concerns. However, the advocacy efforts continue to push for reforms that would help establish a more inclusive religious freedom framework. The WEA continues to advocate for a Religious Freedom Act in Italy that does not discriminate against religious minorities.
The WEA's ability to make recommendations to countries during the UPR process, due to its status with the UN Human Rights Council, underscores the importance of their advocacy. The organisation's persistent call for Italy to review its religious freedom policies and address cases of unfair treatment of evangelical churches is a testament to their commitment to religious freedom and equality.
- The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) has urged the Italian government to address policy-and-legislation surrounding religious freedom, citing specific cases of discrimination against evangelical churches in Italy, such as the Breccia Di Roma and the Pentecostal church in Albano Laziale.
- In the wake of advocacy from the WEA, political discussions on religious freedom reform have become a part of the general-news discourse, with the organization persistently pushing for Italian lawmakers to establish clear criteria for municipalities, modernize the law, and review the religious freedom policies that currently discriminate against religious minorities.
