Terrorism and violent extremism continue to injure and kill thousands of innocent people each year. Terrorist attacks, and the violent and hateful ideologies that drive them, are contrary to the fundamental values of our societies and an affront to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
On the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, the Council of Europe pays respects to the victims, survivors and families who have been injured, traumatised or lost their lives by heinous acts of terrorism worldwide.
We also pay tribute to those who help support the victims of terrorism, from first responders to law enforcement and the dedicated institutions, professionals, and associations, who provide long-term assistance and care.
The Council of Europe Network of single contact points for the exchange of procedural information regarding the legal standing of victims of terrorism makes it possible for countries to exchange procedural information concerning the legal standing of its citizens who are victims of a terrorist attack. Our guidelines for public and private sector authorities on preparedness and emergency responses to the immediate aftermath of terrorist attacks, provide practical advice on core aspects of national emergency responses.
Find out more about the Council of Europe’s counter-terrorism work.
KingNewsWire. Belgium’s fight against alcohol and drugs abuse, has been highlighted by an article at the Freedom Magazine, the Voice of the Church of Scientology. The Foundation for a Drug-Free World, supported by Scientology, leads educational initiatives to expose substance abuse dangers. Central to that story is Julie Delvaux’s inspiring journey from someone surrounding the milieu to a compelling advocate, propelled by L. Ron Hubbard’s insights on drug threats.
Brussels, Belgium, 22nd Aug 2024 – Freedom Magazine, has just published a compelling article about the pervasive grip of alcohol and drug abuse on Belgium, which is likened to the mythical monster Bullebak(1), an analogy that intentioned to underscore the country’s struggle with substance dependency.
This journalistic piece highlights the extensive impact of these issues on Belgian society, introducing the inspiring and transformative actions led by the Foundation for a Drug-Free World and its volunteers to combat them.
An important but small country, Belgium has a population of 11.7 million, and yet faces a significant challenge with 1.1 million individuals consuming alcohol daily, and a staggering number grappling with alcohol abuse. This is a situation that grows bigger and bigger as substance use bridges to illicit drugs, contributing to over 60,000 drug-related crimes annually. In such an environment of widespread addiction, “I really saw how bad the drug problem was in my country and how ‘normal’ drugs are,” said Julie Delvaux, the protagonist of today’s story.
The original article draws attention to how Julie Delvaux, a Belgian young woman who, after a personal encounter with drugs being used among her friends, became a pivotal figure in the fight against this societal menace. Her journey to activism illuminates a path of awareness and education as vital tools in curbing drug abuse and even getting out of such a world before it is too late.
Julie’s activism with the activities and materials proposed and produced by the Foundation for a Drug-Free World marked a turning point in her life. Emphasizing education without judgment, the Truth About Drugs booklets provide factual insights about the effects of drugs, empowering individuals to make informed choices. Julie, alongside her peers, leverages Belgium’s cultural affinity for biking, music, and magic to disseminate these educational materials across the nation, reaching numerous cities through engaging events that merge entertainment with advocacy.
A significant highlight of their campaign was the strategic focus on Antwerp, Europe’s drug trafficking nexus. Here, Julie’s efforts were bolstered by collaboration with the Church of Scientology, amplifying her initiative’s impact through open houses and public events.
Throughout the campaign, the teachings of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard resonate, particularly his assertion:
“The planet has hit a barrier which prevents any widespread social progress—drugs and other biochemical substances. These can put people into a condition which not only prohibits and destroys physical health, but which can prevent any stable advancement in mental or spiritual well-being“.
L. Ron Hubbard
This quote encapsulates the profound societal implications of drug abuse, echoing the urgency and necessity of initiatives like Julie’s.
According to the report by Freedom and her very own episode at “Voices for Humanity” of the Scientology Network, Julie and her team’s unwavering commitment has touched 14% of the population in Belgium, sparking awareness and fuelling a movement to promote a drug-free lifestyle among young people. Her journey symbolizes a beacon of optimism, highlighting the impact achievable through community-driven initiatives.
The piece from Freedom Magazine goes beyond recounting Belgium’s challenges; it celebrates the power of education and grassroots efforts in addressing societal issues. Julie Delvaux’s narrative advocates for a shift towards prevention and transparency in combating substance abuse, offering hope for a future free from drugs, in Belgium.
The Bullebak is a mythical monster from Dutch folklore. It is often described as a terrifying creature used by parents to frighten children into good behavior, much like the boogeyman in other cultures. The specific appearance and characteristics of the Bullebak can vary, as it is more of a legendary creature than one with a standardized description. The term is generally used to refer to a menacing or fearsome being that lurks in the shadows, ready to pounce on misbehaving children.
Without a doubt, many of us, upon opening our Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, or any other social media account and looking at the saved files section, would find dozens of saved but forgotten links to articles, videos, and other materials. This action can be called “bookmarking”— a process during which we can save various online content and then easily find it in one place. But how does it happen that we save and accumulate so much, yet never return to it?
When examining the act of bookmarking within the context of consciously choosing to save information seen online, it can be linked to a deliberate decision and intention to use the saved link in the future. This indicates that the user wants to systematize and organize information so that it can be easily found and used according to their needs.
However, today, there is a growing risk and trend of accumulating large amounts of information: various social content, website links, or emails that are often stored in an unorganized manner and without a specific purpose. This behavior has already been given a term by psychologists and researchers — “digital hoarding”.
Hoarding as an action is not new to researchers, as there have always been people who hoard books, receipts, and many other physical items. However, these habits are gradually shifting into the digital realm and becoming a new challenge. The constant saving of emails, reels, and articles may seem harmless, but it can lead to uncontrollable behavior and more serious consequences than might appear at first glance.
What drives the hoarding of digital material?
The act of saving certain content and never returning to it is a familiar experience for many, but this is usually not a serious problem. However, the increasingly uncontrollable desire—or the emerging compulsion—to constantly save everything you see online that piques your interest may appears from underlying psychological issues.
Firstly, when a person encounters certain material, they often do not control their decision and choose to save the content. They frequently feel that not saving it will cause anxiety, a sense of discomfort, and doubt that they will need the material in the future, but when the time comes, they may not have access to the necessary information.
The second reason why digital content is often hoarded is emotional attachment. This reason is more closely related to personal files, such as emails or photos, where it is difficult to let go because the person feels a sense of loss.
How to tell if you are a digital hoarder?
Dr. Richard Brown outlines five signs that can help determine whether any of us are digital hoarders. Firstly, it’s the constant accumulation of digital material, such as a full email inbox or disorganized saved files, with the thought that they might be needed. Secondly, you don’t delete unused material that was saved but never reviewed. Thirdly, it’s difficult to find what you need among the abundance of saved files. Fourthly, there is an emotional attachment, making it hard to delete unused files. Fifthly, you save files across multiple platforms or devices to ensure access.
Final Word
While hoarding physical or digital materials may seem harmless and almost a universal behaviour, everyone should carefully consider whether the saved information is necessary and if it will be useful and needed in the future.
August 19 marked World Humanitarian Day, which is an opportunity to celebrate the indispensable and tireless life-saving efforts of aid workers worldwide. When crises erupt and conflicts arise, humanitarians are among the first ones on thespot delivering emergency assistance to those affected. Recent world crises like Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East have sadly shown that all too often it is aid workers who pay the highest price for their efforts. 2023 was the deadliest year on record for aid workers, and 2024 is likely to follow the same tragic trend.
Many aid workers are deployed under the EU’s commitment to providehumanitarian assistance to people hit by human-induced disasters and natural hazards around the globe. It has been delivering on this humanitarian aid commitment for over 30 years, in over 110 countries, reaching millions of people across the globe each year. Indeed, the EU – EU countries and institutions collectively – is among the leading donors of humanitarian aid in the world, with an initial humanitarian budget for 2024 of €1.8 billion.
EU humanitarian aid covers intervention areas such as food and nutrition, shelter, healthcare, water and sanitation, and education in emergencies. It is channelled impartially to affected populations, regardless of their race, ethnic group, religion, gender, age, nationality or political affiliation and focuses on the most vulnerable. A network of EU humanitarian experts in over 40 countries worldwide enables close monitoring of crisis situations and relief operations.
Recent major EU humanitarian aid initiatives include:
Launching EU Humanitarian Aid Bridge flights to channel aid to the most difficult to reach areas. These Air Bridge flights have proven a lifeline to channel aid to Ethiopia during the Tigray crisis, to the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as to delivering assistance to the people of Gaza more recently.
Developing global stockpiles of aid – the European Humanitarian Response Capacity – hosted in Latin America, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe to be able to send aid faster to crises zones, such as in the aftermath of the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria in 2023.
Moreover, through the biggest ever operation under the Civil Protection Mechanism, the EU has provided Ukraine with 149 000 tonnes of humanitarian aid and coordinated the evacuation of over 3 500 Ukrainian patients to hospitals across Europe.
To help protect local aid workers around the globe, the EU has established the Protect Aid Workers initiative that assists those who have fallen victim to attacks or other security incidents while on duty with legal aid and rapid financial grants. The first of its kind, the mechanism has distributed 25 grants to humanitarian workers in need of support, worth over €240,000, since February 2024. Through the initiative, the EU aims to create a safety net for local aid workers who often have limited resources and cannot rely on the protection of large international organisations.
Mateusz Morawiecki -- Kancelaria Premiera, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Warsaw, Poland – In a significant political maneuver, Poland’s former Prime Minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, is reportedly in contention for the leadership of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) party, as published today by EURACTIV. This coveted role is currently held by Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The news, initially reported by Euractiv based on insights from Polish media, underscores the shifting dynamics within the European right-wing political landscape.
Earlier reports from the Polish magazine Wprost, as highlighted by Euractiv, suggested that Morawiecki might reach an agreement with Meloni to succeed her as ECR president. However, the latest updates from the Fakt tabloid, as reported by Euractiv, indicate that no definitive decision has been made. A source close to Morawiecki revealed to Fakt, “Negotiations are ongoing. The chances are 50/50. Nothing is settled yet.” The source also noted Meloni’s reluctance to relinquish her position, while the Polish side is actively working to persuade her.
As Euractiv pointed out, neither the ECR nor Morawiecki’s Law and Justice (PiS) party has responded to requests for comments, leaving the political community in anticipation.
Should Morawiecki secure the ECR presidency, it would mark a strategic victory for his party, bolstering its influence on the European right. This move follows PiS’s electoral defeat to a broad centre-left coalition led by former European Council President Donald Tusk (Civic Platform, EPP) last year. For Morawiecki, the ECR leadership could serve as a political refuge if he is not chosen as PiS’s candidate for the Polish presidential election next year.
With Euractiv noting President Andrzej Duda’s completion of his second term in 2025 and his constitutional bar from seeking re-election, PiS is scouting for a new candidate. Morawiecki is reportedly among the contenders, alongside other prominent figures such as MEPs Patryk Jaki and Tobiasz Bocheński, former defense minister Mariusz Błaszczak, and former education minister Przemysław Czarnek. Each potential candidate brings unique political strengths and challenges, with Bocheński emerging as a new favorite of PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński, while Jaki, Błaszczak, and Czarnek remain polarizing yet popular among PiS supporters.
The announcement of PiS’s presidential candidate is expected at the party congress in September or early October. Meanwhile, the ruling coalition has yet to reveal its candidate, and Prime Minister Donald Tusk has publicly ruled out a presidential bid. Tusk, as highlighted by Euractiv, lost the 2005 presidential election to Lech Kaczyński, the late twin brother of PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński, and remains a pivotal figure in Poland’s political arena.
As the political chessboard in Europe continues to evolve, Morawiecki’s potential ascension to the ECR presidency could redefine alliances and power dynamics, not only within Poland but across the broader European conservative movement. As reported by Euractiv, the coming months will be crucial in determining the future trajectory of both Morawiecki’s political career and the ECR’s leadership.
The Warsaw Human Dimension Conference, scheduled to take place from September 30 to October 11, 2024, at the Sofitel Victoria in Krakowska St., Warsaw, marks a significant event in the realm of international human rights and security. Organized by the 2024 OSCE Chairpersonship of Malta, in collaboration with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the conference will concentrate on evaluating the impact of current global events on regional rights and policies.
This 10-day conference offers a crucial platform to assess the progress of OSCE human dimension commitments. With a comprehensive agenda, the event facilitates a robust exchange among participants on democracy, rule of law, tolerance, non-discrimination, fundamental freedoms, and humanitarian matters.
The conference is set to welcome representatives from OSCE participating States, Partners for Co-operation, OSCE institutions, and affiliated organizations from the 57 participating nations. Those attending span the gamut from inter-governmental bodies to civil society activists—all encouraged to share insights and practices.
Attendance at the conference is complimentary, but participants are responsible for their travel and accommodation expenses. Notably, Polish consulates are expediting visa processes for attendees, underscoring Poland’s commitment to human rights discourse.
Online registration continues up until September 6, 2024. To ensure a seamless experience, potential attendees should ensure their details on the ODIHR platform are current. Assistance is available via user guides in English and Russian.
Side events will complement plenary sessions, allowing for focused discussions on pertinent issues. The language barrier is minimized with simultaneous interpretation in English and Russian, encouraging broader participation and discourse.
This annual assembly not only reinforces regional cooperation but also serves as a beacon for international dialogue on human rights, casting a spotlight on the enduring significance of such commitments in today’s world.
Insolvency Crisis – The recent insolvency declaration by the German holding company, FWU AG, has sent ripples across Europe, impacting thousands of policyholders in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and Spain. This move came alongside a suspension of payment filed by its Luxembourg subsidiary, FWU Life Insurance Lux S.A. (FWU Luxembourg), with the District Court of Luxembourg.
On July 19, 2024, FWU AG declared insolvency due to over-indebtedness to the Local Court of Munich. On the same date, FWU Luxembourg informed its national supervisory body, the Commissariat aux Assurances (CAA), of its inability to meet regulatory capital requirements. In response, the CAA decided to freeze the subsidiary’s assets and suspend outgoing payments to protect policyholders’ interests.
Shortly after, FWU Luxembourg sought a formal suspension of payments, an application accepted by the Luxembourg court on August 2, 2024. Maître Yann Baden was appointed as an administrator to oversee the company’s asset and liability management, with the suspension limited to a six-month period.
Meanwhile, in Austria, FWU Life Insurance Austria AG continues to operate under the Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA) but has halted new business underwriting. Unlike its Luxembourg counterpart, FWU Austria is not in insolvency proceedings.
What This Means for Policyholders
European policyholders affected by FWU AG’s insolvency face significant uncertainty. To document guidance and coordinate cross-border responses, the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) stepped in. EIOPA, while not widely known by the general public, plays a crucial role in ensuring fair treatment and collaboration among national regulators. It provides a framework to protect policyholder interests during financial crises.
EIOPA advises affected policyholders to thoroughly read their insurance contracts and seek professional advice from insurers, intermediaries, or consumer associations. The appointed administrator is exploring solutions for FWU Luxembourg, potentially involving restructuring or liquidation.
Efforts in Supervision and Coordination
National regulatory bodies across Europe are working collaboratively to manage the impact of FWU’s situation. EIOPA’s role, though non-interventionist, facilitates effective cooperation between these authorities through supervision and information exchange. Regulatory bodies involved in this effort include:
Austria: Finanzmarktaufsicht (FMA)
Belgium: L’Autorité des services et marchés financiers (FSMA)
France: L’Autorité de contrôle prudentiel et de résolution (ACPR)
Germany: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin)
Italy: Istituto per la vigilanza sulle assicurazioni (IVASS)
Luxembourg: Commissariat aux Assurances (CAA)
Spain: Dirección General de Seguros y Fondos de Pensiones (DGSFP)
EIOPA serves mainly as a coordinator, supporting national efforts and fostering fairness in how the policyholders are treated across various jurisdictions.
On 28 November 2023, just after 6 a.m., a SWAT team of around 175 policemen wearing black masks, helmets, and bullet proof vests, simultaneously descended on eight separate houses and apartments in and around Paris but also in Nice, brandishing semi-automatic rifles.
These searched places which were located in various pleasant and attractive environments for vacation were used by practitioners of yoga connected with MISA yoga schools in Romania for informal spiritual and meditation retreats. They included IT experts, engineers, designers, artists, medical doctors, psychologists, teachers, university and high school students, and so on.
On that fateful morning, most of them were still in bed and were awakened by the crash of doors being violently broken down, very loud noises and shouting.
The first objective of the operation was to arrest, interrogate, detain and indict people supposed to be involved in “trafficking in human beings”, “forcible confinement”, money laundering and “abuse of vulnerability” in organized gang.
The second goal was to rescue “their victims” and to obtain their declarations as elements of evidence but no woman interrogated in the framework of the SWAT operation on 28 November 2023 has ever filed any complaint against anybody.
The report of Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF) that follows is based on testimonies of over 20 Romanian yoga practitioners who happened to travel on their own accord and by their own means to various places used for yoga and meditation retreats in France where they were suddenly targeted by simultaneous police raids. They were put in police custody (garde à vue) for hearings and interrogations and released after two days and two nights or more without further ado.
The search warrant at the origin of the abuse of the police
Such a nationwide operation was launched on the basis of a search warrant reporting extremely serious suspicions: human trafficking from Romania, kidnapping, sexual and financial exploitation of these victims, abuse of vulnerability and money laundering. All this in an organized gang.
This was the backdrop to this police operation experienced by dozens of Romanian nationals.
Most of them did not speak the language of the country but had chosen to combine the pleasant with the useful in France: to practice yoga and meditation in villas or apartments kindly and freely put at their disposal by their owners or tenants who were mainly yoga practitioners of Romanian origin and to enjoy picturesque natural or other environments.
The allegations of the search warrant were perceived by all the actors involved in its execution as an authentic criminal case founded on a preliminary investigation. In their eyes, all that remained to be done was to document and close this case, after gathering evidence to be discovered on site, while at this stage the file was still empty. This prejudice, well established in people’s minds, would bias all procedures at all levels and disregard the presumption of innocence.
Intrusion by police forces with break-in
The massive special police intervention forces expected to find criminals and victims, poor young Romanian women exploited as prostitutes and their so-called protectors.
It was in this state of mind that the heavily armed intervention brigades acted like lightning, by surprise and with destructive violence in the places to be searched as if they were to expect strong resistance, even armed, of gangsters. There was no resistance from the people staying there. The owners or co-owners or official tenants of the premises were not present at the time of the raid, except Sorin Turc, a violinist who played with the Monaco orchestra.
The police forces violently broke down the entrance doors and the various bedroom doors while the people present were proposing them to use their keys. They searched everything, made a mess everywhere, confiscated their personal computers, their cell phones and even their cash.
The Romanian yoga practitioners, mostly women, were wondering what was happening, who these aggressors were and what they wanted. The explanations from the police were very brief and were not necessarily understood.
One person had 1200 EUR confiscated. A couple driving from Romania were left without cash after police took all of their holiday money – EUR 4,500. No receipts were given to the dispossessed people that HRWF interviewed.
A Romanian woman who knew some French testified to HRWF that she had heard agents say after taking around EUR 10,000 in cash from several people that they had “enough”. A connection may perhaps be made with statements made in the press by some investigating authorities saying they “discovered” large sums of cash in several homes that were searched. No doubt it was then to give the impression that the accusation of money laundering was credible in this affair of national proportions.
During the searches in the targeted villas and apartments, the guests had to remain in night clothes or were often not given the privacy required to change. Others were gathered outside in the cold morning wearing only scanty clothing.
In face of the disorder and the damage caused by the search and the psychological violence of the police, the reaction of the retreating residents was stupor, psychological shock, fear and even terror, lasting and indelible trauma for some.
The first task of the police force was to identify and “release victims”. Their second task was to collect their testimonies in order to arrest their exploiters.
Amazement of the law enforcement: the sites targeted by the raids were not clandestine and financially exploited places of prostitution. No one among the yoga practitioners, neither woman nor man, declared themselves to be victims of anything or by anyone. However, it mattered little to the police at this stage of the operation. The next phase would take place in the police stations after handcuffing the people to be transferred by bus.
The fabrication of victims against their will at all costs
Indeed, a controversial theory in human trafficking cases is that such “victims” refuse to be considered as such because of their psychological vulnerability and their habituation to their state of subjection. Some even talk about brainwashing and Stockholm syndrome. Hence this need to “convince” them, including through psychological pressure, that they were victims even if they do not always realize it. This psychological-judicial drift which leads to the fabrication of false victims is spreading more and more in democratic states of Europe and America.
In Argentina, a very similar case, even in its details, to that in France ultimately resulted in the innocence of a yoga group, its octogenarian founder and its leaders. They had been accused, arrested and imprisoned for months for alleged human trafficking, abuse of weakness, sexual exploitation and money laundering.
The manufacturing of victims against their will which was inspired by a certain controversial branch of feminism, the abolitionists, was at the origin of that drift. These activists who campaign for a total ban on the commodification of sexual services consider that all prostitutes are de facto victims, even if they are free-lance and declare it is their choice. In Argentina, lawyers, psychologists and magistrates have begun to successfully fight against this very worrying phenomenon of victim fabrication which is spreading in other contexts than prostitution.
Biased interrogations in police stations in inhumane detention conditions
Considering that the allegations mentioned in the search warrant would lead to a trial, the presumption of innocence was never present in the minds of the police officers in the police stations. Their only goal was to extract incriminating testimonies concerning other people. To this end, they did not hesitate to take advantage of the situation of distress and vulnerability of the alleged victims from whom they wanted to extract incriminating declarations against other people and they threatened them to extend their police custody beyond the legal 48 hours, which actually happened in several cases.
The interviewees clearly told HRWF that they were put under pressure to say things that were not true so that their statements could match the contents of the warrant and make it possible to prosecute other people.
Furthermore, their conditions of detention were truly inhumane and humiliating. They practically had to beg the officers to be able to go to the toilet, even in urgent cases, and it was at their discretion. They also had to beg for a small glass of water and only got some food on the second day of their detention. Not enough mattresses and blankets in collective cells. Lack of hygiene. No heating in November. This was the treatment reserved for people transferred with handcuffs to police stations although there was no allegation of illegal activities against them and they only had to testify.
Failing assistance from lawyers and interpreters
In many cases, the Romanian yoga practitioners were unable to count on the assistance of a lawyer during their interrogation. The reason given was that there had been too many arrests and not enough lawyers available. When they received the requested legal assistance, they wrongly believed, due to not having been correctly informed, that it was to defend them but in fact their mission was only to monitor the legality of their interrogation.
Often, they had the clear impression that their counsels were more on the side of the police when they told them they were involved in a very serious criminal case, that their recourse to the right to silence would be interpreted negatively and could lead to prolonged custody or more.
The issue concerning the interpreters constitutes another weak point of the procedure. Many interviewees highlighted their incompetence and inability in accurately translating their responses to questions. The interpreters were also perceived as believing they were dealing with victims or criminals and as aligning themselves with the attitude of the police.
In addition, a number of yoga practitioners were not asked to check and sign the minutes of their interrogation; others were required to sign them although they were not translated to them or were just roughly and poorly translated verbally in Romanian. None of HRWF’s interviewees received a copy of the document.
However, this phase of the procedure is of crucial importance. If the minutes and their translation contain errors that cannot be rectified, this can have dramatic implications in trials and lead to serious injustices.
In some cases, a few people with sufficient knowledge of the French language have had biased reports corrected but what about all the others?
Upon their release from police custody, the interrogated persons were thrown onto the street, often in the evening, without telephone and without money even though they naively expected an apology…
Conclusions
In short, this is the situation experienced by dozens of ordinary Romanian nationals who were neither actors nor victims of human trafficking or kidnapping, who had not been involved in money laundering or criminal organization.
On the other hand, they were the real “collateral” victims of excessive and disproportionate police action organized by the French judicial authorities. They had the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
These Romanian victims remain traumatized by this experience and prefer to delete it from their memory. HRWF thanks those who despite everything had the courage to bring up these painful memories for the purposes of its investigation.
Back home, these people who were arrested in France and summoned in handcuffs to be questioned in police stations were no longer contacted by the French authorities. They believe that French justice will never spontaneously return the money and equipment that was stolen from them. They should be entitled to file a complaint as victims of French justice in order to recover their property but they prefer to forget this traumatic experience and turn the page.
This HRWF investigation highlights serious procedural flaws, illegal fabrication of victims for the purposes of prosecuting others, biased interrogation methods, inhumane treatment and serious dysfunctions of the judiciary and police in France in the context of police custody of citizens from other EU member states and beyond.
The directive affects people located in parts of eastern and central Khan Younis as well as the Al Salqa area of Deir Al-Balah.
Initial estimates indicate that more than 15,500 people had been living in those areas, which comprise more than 30 neighbourhoods, according to UN partners monitoring population movements in Gaza.
“Once again, we call for all parties to the conflict to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law, including by taking constant care to spare civilians and civilian objects,” said UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq, speaking at a press briefing in New York.
“This includes allowing civilians to leave for safer areas and allowing their return as soon as circumstances allow,” he added, saying “people must be able to receive humanitarian assistance, whether they move or stay.”
Water and sewage constraints
Meanwhile, the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, said Palestinians continue to be exposed to major health risks due to constraints on water production and sewage pumping in Gaza.
Efforts to scale up water, sanitation and hygiene are hampered by a lack of generators and alternative energy sources as well as shortages of spare parts to operate existing generators.
Lack of fuel is also a major challenge, OCHA said. Late last month, humanitarian partners working to support water, sanitation and hygiene services reported that they received just over 75,000 litres of fuel.
While this represents a nearly 30 per cent increase compared to June, it was still just 70 per cent of the minimum operational threshold.
Food distribution disrupted
The World Food Programme (WFP) warned that ongoing hostilities, damaged roads and the lack of public order and safety have severely hampered food transport operations in Gaza, thus forcing rations to be reduced.
WFP urgently needs fuel deliveries, increased flow of food supplies and greater capacity to deliver hot meals, particularly in Gaza City and north Gaza.
The UN agency reached around one million people in Gaza in July, but stressed that food distribution points continue to face major disruptions due to conflict, evacuation orders and damage to infrastructure.
WFP further warned that it will not be able to bring in the quantity of food required this month unless more border crossing points into Gaza open and aid workers are able to reach people safely and at scale.
West Bank and the Blue Line
Turning to the West Bank, WFP estimated that the escalation of violence there could push the number of people facing food insecurity to at least 600,000, up from some 352,000 at the start of last year.
In other developments from the region, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said 10 months of continuing exchanges of fire across the Blue Line with Israel have left many civilians on both sides displaced, injured and killed.
UNIFIL continues to support displaced people in its area of operations, including providing free medical and dental care to 4,766 patients.
The UN has urged all parties to return to a cessation of hostilities and recommit to Security Council resolution 1701.
Adopted in August 2006, resolution 1701 aimed at ending the war that year between Israel and Hezbollah. It calls for an end to hostilities, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon and the establishment of a demilitarized zone.
De-escalation efforts continue
Later, in response to a reporter’s question, Mr. Haq said UN efforts toward reducing escalating tensions in the Middle East are ongoing.
He said key UN officials in the region, including Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland, Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, and the UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Lt. Gen. Aroldo Lázaro “continue to be in touch with various parties, trying to do what can be done to de-escalate.”
Religious minorities in Hungary, particularly the Church of Scientology, have faced increasing discrimination and legal challenges in recent years, according to multiple reports and statements from international human rights bodies.
In 2017, Hungarian authorities conducted sweeping raids on Scientology churches and missions across the country. As reported by specialized religious freedom magazine BitterWinter in March 2023,
“An all-out dawn raid happened on 18 and 19 October 2017 at all Hungarian Scientology Churches and Missions.”
The raids were part of a criminal investigation accusing Scientology leaders of tax fraud for claiming their core practices as religious activities exempt from VAT.
However, religious scholars have argued that Scientology’s practices of “auditing” and training are indeed religious in nature. As American scholar Donald Westbrook stated, these are part of a
“step-by-step soteriological map intended to take an individual to higher states of awareness and ability.”
And also the Internal Revenue Service in the United States fully reviewed all the practices and granted tax exemption to all US Churches in 1993, as it has been done in Sweden, Spain, Netherlands, Portugal, SouthAfrica and many others, based on the same facts that Hungary has used.
The targeting of Scientology appears to be part of a broader pattern of discrimination against non-traditional religions in Hungary. In a 2018 letter to the Hungarian government, the then UN Special Rapporteurs on FoRB, Minority Issues and the one on Privacy, expressed concern about
“discriminatory measures against the Church of Scientology on the basis of religious belief.”
The UN experts noted that Hungarian authorities had repeatedly denied Scientology the Certificate of Occupancy for its headquarters in Budapest and launched criminal investigations leading to
“the seizure of several documents including of a private nature and to restrictions on places of worship.”
Massimo Introvigne, one of the most renown worldwide European experts and sociologist of religion, and who served as the “Representative on combating racism, xenophobia and discrimination, with a special focus on discrimination against Christians and members of other religions” of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), argues that Hungary’s actions reflect an exported Russian approach of using accusations of “extremism” against minority religions. He writes that
“the concomitancy of the actions based on data protection, taxes, and electrical issues is not a coincidence. It is an expression of the publicly stated official hostility to Scientology.”
Hungary Accused of Religious Discrimination Against Church of Scientology
In 2011, Hungary passed a controversial new Religion Law that stripped legal recognition from hundreds of previously registered religious groups, including the Church of Scientology. This law has been criticized by the European Court of Human Rights and Hungary’s own Constitutional Court for violating religious freedom rights.
Since then, the government has taken several actions specifically targeting Scientology:
Denying Occupancy for Main Place of Worship
The government has repeatedly denied a Certificate of Occupancy for the Church’s headquarters in Budapest, despite inspections finding the building safe to occupy. This has left the Church facing potential sanctions for using its main place of worship.
According to a letter sent by the aforementioned UN Special Rapporteurs to the Hungarian government on August 30, 2018:
“The Church appealed the decision to the Administrative and Labour Court of Budapest. On 12 September 2017, the Court remanded the case to the second instance to be considered again within 21 days, taking into account all the evidence that was previously neglected, which reportedly proves that the building is safe and ready to be used. The procedure started in December 2017, however, it has not been completed to the present date.”
To this date this issue is not resolved and they continue to deny the occupancy certificate creating a situation of constant uncertainty about how long will they be able to operate in their place of worship.
Seizing Confidential Religious Files: “serious impediments to religious freedom” UN says
Hungarian authorities have used data protection laws to seize confidential religious files, including “preclear folders” containing private communications between Scientologists and their ministers.
In the UN Special Rapporteurs’ letter to Hungary, from August 2018 it can be read:
“On 7 December 2016, the Data Protection Authority launched a data protection investigation of the Church of Scientology and, to this end, seized various documents from its offices in Budapest and Nyiregyhaza, including ‘preclear folders’ that contain confidential communications between penitents and their minister.”
According to human rights attorney Patricia Duval, writing in The Journal of CESNUR,
“Hungary is currently the only country in the world that has seized and refuses to return such folders consisting of sacred and confidential pastor-penitent communications.”
The government has launched criminal investigations into alleged data protection violations and tax evasion by the Church, leading to multiple police raids on Scientology properties.
The UN inquisitive letter to Hungary describes one such raid:
“On 18 October 2017 at 7.30 a.m., around 60 agents of the National Bureau of Investigation raided the Church of Scientology headquarters in Budapest, seized documents and sealed the building. On the next day at 7.00 a.m., the criminal section of the tax office executed search warrants and seized documents from the Church’s offices in Budapest and 15 other locations with the purpose of investigating possible financial crimes. In addition, the authorities froze the Church’s bank accounts and placed a lien on the Budapest headquarters.”
A Hungarian court later ruled that this raid was disproportionate and illegal, according to Duval’s article published by the Journal of CESNUR on march-april 2018.
Government Statements and Criticism
Hungarian officials have made public statements declaring their intention to restrict Scientology activities. Religious scholar Massimo Introvigne, in a paper presented at a University of Eastern Finland conference, quoted Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén as stating in 2011:
“As long as I am in the government, Scientology won’t be recognized as a religion.”
These actions have drawn strong criticism from international bodies. The UN Special Rapporteurs expressed
“serious concern that the criminal investigations carried out against the Church of Scientology, which led to the seizure of several documents including of a private nature and to restrictions on places of worship, may be incompatible with international human rights standards.”
They further stated that
“Such acts constitute serious impediments to religious freedom and to the fulfilment of the rights and freedoms of religious minorities as enshrined in the applicable international human rights standards that Hungary has committed to.”
The Church of Scientology maintains it is being unfairly targeted for religious discrimination. The situation highlights ongoing concerns about Hungary’s treatment of minority faiths under its 2011 Religion Law, which has been criticized by international bodies but remains in force.
Critics argue that these actions violate principles of religious freedom and state neutrality towards religion. The case of Scientology in Hungary raises broader questions about the protection of minority religious rights in the country and the use of administrative and legal measures to restrict unpopular religious groups.
The UN Special Rapporteurs urged Hungary to ensure its actions are “compatible with international human rights standards, particularly regarding the right to freedom of religion or belief and the right to privacy.” They called on the government to provide “detailed and updated information on the concrete measures undertaken by the Government of Hungary to ensure protection and promotion of religious freedom and of the human rights of religious minorities in the country.“
As the legal battles continue, human rights advocates argue that Hungary is using tax and privacy laws plus other measures to discriminate against Scientology specifically and also against other minority faiths in violation of international religious freedom principles. The ongoing situation highlights ongoing tensions between nationalist ideologies and protections for religious minorities in parts of Europe.
Find out more about the Council of Europe’s counter-terrorism work.
