We, the undersigned, resolve that the right of all individuals to freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief is fundamental to achieving true democracy. This right is articulated in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. View Current Signatures – Sign the Petition
To: European Parliament We, the undersigned, resolve that the right of all individuals to freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief is fundamental to achieving true democracy. This right is articulated in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
We further resolve that the European Parliament must make advancement of democracies the cornerstone policy in the Middle East. The success of this policy depends not only upon the promotion of free elections, but also the separation of religion from the state and institutional guarantee of the right of religious freedom for all individuals.
Separations of religion from state and religious freedom for all individuals are preconditions for true democracy in the Middle East. Confessional statements do not need to be institutionalized in constitutional law. The authority to govern and the rules by which that government function arise from the people irrespective of their religion, ethnicity, race or gender.
We express our concern that free elections and the creation of constitutional governments without institutional guarantees for all individuals to religious freedom and separation of religion from the state, leaves the door open for imposing one interpretation of religious orthodoxy or one religion to the detriment of all others.
We, therefore, urge the European Parliament to establish the separation of the rule of religion from the state as a pre-condition and measurement for the recognition of true democratic reform in the Middle East. Sincerely, The Undersigned