(Bonn, 23.01.2026) Thomas Schirrmacher and Eric Roux chaired a session of the Brussels-EU FoRB Roundtable in the Press Club of Brussels.
Among the politicians, NGO leaders and religious leaders in attendance, they had the privilege of welcoming the new Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief of the Netherlands: Ambassador Paul Bekkers. Ambassador Bekkers is a long-term ambassador for his country at the UN and in various other countries, as well as the Director of the Secretariat of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) from 2016 to 2020. The OSCE has 57 member states.
Delia Nita, human rights expert from Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), briefed the Roundtable on their latest publication on FoRB: “Think Again: Freedom of Thought in the Age of Artificial Intelligence“. The report examines how AI and neurotechnologies threaten freedom of thought by undermining mental autonomy, independent opinion formation, and free decision-making through manipulation, biases, and surveillance. It urges states to protect this fundamental human right via human rights-based regulations for AI development, transparency requirements, and protective measures to safeguard democracy and human dignity.
Mikaela Christiansson, Adviser on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Religious Intolerance at ODIHR of OSCE, briefed the Roundtable on their latest guide “Understanding Anti-Christian Hate Crimes and Addressing the Security Needs of Christian Communities”, and some recent trends on anti-religious hate incidents. The report defines anti-Christian hate crimes as bias-motivated offenses against Christians or their properties, such as vandalism of churches, assaults on believers, and threats, which erode social cohesion and disproportionately affect minority groups, while urging governments to improve recording, prosecution, victim support, and security collaboration with communities. Recent trends show persistent incidents across the OSCE region, including over 980 anti-Christian hate crimes reported in 2020 alone (e.g., property attacks, verbal harassment, and violence), with ongoing concerns in 2025. The new report is available in English, Italian, and Russian.
This it what she wrote on LinkedIn:
“The end of the year is always a busy time at the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)! I started the week in Brussels, where I presented the 2024 ODIHR Hate Crime Report findings as well as our practical guide on Understanding Anti-Christian Hate Crimes and Addressing the Security Needs of Christian Communities. It was great to share the panel with Prof. Dr. mult. Thomas Paul Schirrmacher, my colleague Delia Nita and our host Eric Roux.”
After the two ODIHR reports, Schirrmacher—who, as President of the International Institute for Religious Freedom (IIRF), travelled to 70 countries in 2025, meeting heads of state, religious leaders, as well as many witnesses and researchers—reported on his experiences. He stated that the rise of religious extremism within the three largest world religions, and its role in election campaigns in countries such as India, Russia, Turkey, Nigeria and the USA, is a major reason why the overall situation regarding freedom of religion or belief worsens every year.
The following day, at the European Prayer Breakfast, Schirrmacher presented the Roundtable to several notable figures, including the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola from Malta; the keynote speaker, Prince Nikolaus Ferdinand Maria Josef Raphael of Liechtenstein, brother of the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein; and his old friend, Baba Edmond Brahimaj from Albania, the head of the Bektashi Muslims worldwide.
Downloads and Links
- Photo 1: Meeting with the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola from Malta, during the European Prayer Breakfast in the EU Parliament in Brussels © IIRF/Martin Warnecke
- Photo 2 (from left to right): Eric Roux, Delita Nita, Mikaela Christiansson, Thomas Schirrmacher © IIRF/Martin Warnecke
- Photo 3: The roundtable, Ambassador Paul Bekkers in the front right © IIRF/Martin Warnecke
- Photo 4: Meeting the head of the Bektashi Muslims worldwide, Baba Edmond Brahimaj from Albania © IIRF/Martin Warnecke
- Photo 5 (from left to right): Thomas Schirrmacher, Prince Nikolaus Ferdinand Maria Josef Raphael of Liechtenstein, brother of the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein, who was the keynote speaker in the EU Parliament, and Bishop Youssaf Naadem (Pakistan) © IIRF/Martin Warnecke
- Photo 6: Seven steps responding to anti-Christian hate crimes (ODIHR) © IIRF/Martin Warnecke
- The statement by Mikaela Christiansson on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/posts/mikaela-christiansson_the-end-of-the-year-is-always-a-busy-time-activity-7402750678433083392-BCP0/
- “Think Again: Freedom of Thought in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”: https://odihr.osce.org/odihr/597450
- “Understanding Anti-Christian Hate Crimes and Addressing the Security Needs of Christian Communities — A Practical Guide”: https://odihr.osce.org/odihr/594847
