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By Willy Fautré & Hans Noot, Director and Associate Director of Human Rights Without Frontiers
HRWF (07.02.2026) – On 4 February, Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF) sponsored the launch of the Central Europe Forum on FORB at the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit from 2 to 5 February in Washington DC.
The Forum occurred after the IRF Roundtable in the Kennedy Caucus Room of the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington DC. Over 20 people attended in person, and more than 50 registered online.
The launch event was scheduled for one hour but extended due to participant interest.
The first panel’s speakers were:
- Jan Figel (Slovakia), former EU Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief
- Peter Zoehrer (Austria), FOREF Europe
- Kristyna Tomanova (Czechia), InterBelief Relief
- Attila Miklovicz (Hungary), University of Pécs
Their speeches or excerpts will be published in the upcoming HRWF newsletter issues.
The second panel featured the Forum’s international advisers:
- Greg Mitchell, co-founder & co-chair of the IRF Roundtable with Nadine Maenza
- David Burrows, a practising criminal defence solicitor for over 30 years and UK Parliament Member from 2005 to 2017, working with MP Fiona Bruce, former UK Special Envoy for FORB
- Brandon Taylorian, Research Fellow at the University of Lancashire in Preston, UK, who achieved his PhD in 2025.
Welcoming remarks (excerpt) by Hans Noot, chair of the Forum and the second panel
“The Central Europe Forum for Freedom of Religion or Belief is a region-focused, evidence-based platform addressing FoRB issues in Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia. Rooted in civil society and expert engagement, the Forum is not owned by any single religious or belief community, nor state-sponsored. Its purpose is to provide reliable analysis and structured dialogue to inform policymakers and parliamentarians across the political spectrum, regionally and internationally.
Experts are invited to present concrete situations and measurable impacts. The Forum aims to bridge the gap between OSCE, EU, and UN commitments and their practical implementation at national and local levels.
Meeting quarterly in a rotating format, the Forum offers a space for informed, honest, pragmatic engagement. Discussions guided by evidence are protected by Chatham House Rules and aim for tangible outcomes. The Forum’s function is to share verified information enabling informed decisions and meaningful action.
Welcome to all present in Washington and those joining remotely. The hybrid format reflects this initiative’s international character and our intention to remain accessible across borders.”
State recognition of religious or belief communities and media: two sources of discrimination. Introductory remarks to the first panel of the Forum chaired by Willy Fautré
“Freedom of religion or belief is not only violated in countries like China, Iran, Russia but also in democracies.
State recognition of religious and belief communities
In Europe, the state recognition system of religions generates unequal treatment, discrimination, stigmatization, intolerance, and hostility. Central European countries have a tiered discriminatory system.
Historical religions in the upper category have full access to rights and privileges.
Lower categories include other communities with fewer rights, often unable to reach the top category due to discriminatory laws and obstacles.
Others aren’t recognized by the State, despite the
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