CAP Liberté de Conscience (CAP LC) addressed the UN Human Rights Council (HRC 61) on the dangerous link between sensationalist media and violence against religious minorities. Applying the WHO’s “Public Health Approach to Violence Prevention,” we highlighted how media stigmatization acts as a precursor to physical attacks. Citing the “digital witch-hunt” against the Christian Gospel Mission and a recent hammer assault in Taiwan, we called for a UN expert group to monitor media bias and protect believers from persecution fueled by online hate.

Sensationalist media coverage triggers systematic violence against religious minorities worldwide. Following the Public Health Approach to Violence Prevention, stigmatization by mainstream and digital platforms—such as Netflix documentaries on Jehovah’s Witnesses or South Korean coverage of Gospel Mission—precedes persecution and violence. Recent cases include hammer attacks on Shincheonji members in Taiwan. We urge the Human Rights Council to establish an expert group monitoring media-driven discrimination to protect believers from state and online violence fueled by inflammatory content.

This statement draws urgent attention to the systematic persecution of Christian Gospel Mission members between 2023 and 2026. Following Netflix documentaries in 2023 and 2025, thousands of believers—accused of no crime—faced discrimination, doxxing, and violence. In Taiwan, 4,500 members suffered threats and public shaming. In South Korea, over 160 sworn statements document exclusion. Economic boycotts destroyed businesses; educators and professors lost jobs solely for their faith

This side event critically examines Pakistan’s GSP+ trade status, questioning whether human rights conditionality is being rigorously enforced in line with international obligations. By combining legal analysis with victim testimonies, it aims to expose the gap between treaty commitments and the on-the-ground reality for those affected by abuses.

During the 61st Human Rights Council session, CAP LC presented a written statement on the weaponization of tax law against spiritual minorities in Taiwan. It examines the Tai Ji Men case, involving perpetual tax bills despite judicial acquittals, resulting in sacred land seizure. The statement identifies structural tax administration flaws violating international human rights covenants, undermining religious freedom and due process. CAP LC urges resolution of the Tai Ji Men case and reforms ensuring taxation isn’t used discriminatorily against religious groups.

CAP Liberté de Conscience presented a statement to the Human Rights Council regarding Russian spiritual teacher Konstantin Rudnev’s arbitrary detention in Argentina. Arrested following misunderstandings and unsubstantiated accusations of being a “cult leader,” Rudnev remains in pretrial detention despite lack of evidence. He faces due process violations and inadequate medical care with declining health. The organization argues his imprisonment violates religious freedom and liberty rights, based on imported disinformation rather than actual crimes. CAP LC demands his immediate release on humanitarian grounds.

“1000 days of conflict. 1000 days of civilians suffering the first-hand consequences of the fighting”, opened Thierry Valle, President of CAP Freedom of Conscience, at the side event on Friday 27 February 2026, held at the UN Human Rights Council, as atrocities continue unabated.

Sudan conflict: civilians face executions, torture, sexual violence. UAE supports RSF forces enabling atrocities. States must end support, investigate crimes, prevent prolonged suffering

Sudan faces a humanitarian crisis with mass killings, sexual violence, and displacement. The UN documented genocide indicators in El Fasher and identified external support fueling RSF atrocities. Accountability remains largely absent despite ongoing investigations.

Human Right Without Frontiers, International Support for Human Rights and CAP Liberté de Conscience has submitted a joint written statement to the Human Rights Council at its sixty-first session addressing the grave and systematic violations of freedom of religion or belief perpetrated against members of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light (AROPL) in Egypt. Since March 2025, Egyptian authorities have detained numerous peaceful adherents of this religious minority solely for expressing their beliefs and possessing religious materials, subjecting them to arbitrary arrest, enforced disappearance lasting over a month, torture, and prolonged pre-trial detention exceeding ten months without trial. The statement documents severe violations including electric shocks, beatings, denial of legal counsel, inhumane prison conditions, and crucially, organized religious coercion through visits by Al-Azhar-affiliated sheikhs explicitly aimed at forcing detainees to renounce their faith. CAP Liberté de Conscience calls upon the Egyptian Government to immediately and unconditionally release all detained AROPL members, investigate torture and enforced disappearances by security forces, end the misuse of pre-trial detention, guarantee fair-trial rights and access to legal representation, and cease all forms of religious coercion in violation of Egypt’s international human rights obligations.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) published a comprehensive report (A/HRC/61/24) on 13 January 2026, presenting an assessment of the human rights situation across Sudan. The document covers the period from 16 November 2024 to 15 November 2025 and was submitted to the Human Rights Council at its sixty-first session, responding to Council resolution 57/2.

At the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, CAP Liberté de Conscience submitted a written statement highlighting the catastrophic human rights situation in Sudan and the urgent need for extended accountability. The submission documents heinous crimes committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), including summary executions, sexual violence, and mass killings in areas like El Fasher and the Zamzam camp, while noting the RSF’s systematic attempts to destroy evidence. CAP LC emphasizes the necessity of extending the UN Security Council’s ICC referral beyond Darfur to cover all regions of Sudan, ensuring justice for crimes against humanity nationwide. Additionally, the statement exposes the critical role of foreign actors, particularly the United Arab Emirates, in supplying weapons that sustain the RSF’s operations. Consequently, CAP LC calls on Member States to cease arms transfers to the RSF, condemn the UAE’s involvement, impose sanctions on perpetrators and enablers, and support international mechanisms for evidence preservation and accountability.

At the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, CAP Liberté de Conscience submitted a written statement raising serious concerns over the threatened dissolution of the Shincheonji Church and other minority religious organizations in the Republic of Korea. The document condemns efforts by President Lee Jae Myung to disband groups labeled as “pseudo-religions,” arguing that such state actions violate Article 18 of the ICCPR by allowing the government to act as a theological arbiter. CAP LC challenges the cited Japanese precedent, noting UN Special Rapporteurs’ criticism of dissolution orders based on vague concepts of “public welfare.” The statement further refutes claims of “enormous damage,” highlighting the Supreme Court’s acquittal of Shincheonji regarding COVID-19 allegations and the lack of coercive elements in its past evangelism methods. Consequently, CAP LC urges the Korean authorities to respect freedom of religion or belief and cease discriminatory campaigns driven by religious intolerance.

Survivors of the attacks in El Fasher report mass atrocities and killings committed by the Rapid Support Forces after a year and a half of siege under horrific conditions, with no access to basic necessities. Civilians who fled describe widespread violence, including torture, kidnappings for ransom, sexual violence, disproportionately affecting women and girls, and summary executions as they attempted to escape. More than 1,000 days into the conflict, atrocities persist, and large-scale attacks are becoming a recurring pattern. Immediate and collective action is required to cease these crimes and prevent similar atrocities in other regions of Sudan.

The report “How freedom of religion or belief relates to death and honouring the deceased” (A/HRC/61/50) was published on 7 January 2026 by the United Nations Human Rights Council. The document was authored by Nazila Ghanea, UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, and submitted to the Council’s sixty-first session pursuant to resolution 58/5.

The report A/HRC/61/38, entitled “Annual Report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children,” was published on December 24, 2025, and submitted to the Human Rights Council for its 61st session, scheduled for February 23 to April 2, 2026. Prepared by Najat Maalla M’jid, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Violence against Children, this document outlines the mandate established by General Assembly resolution 62/141.

In preparation for the upcoming official visit to Germany by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the non-governmental organization CAP Liberté de Conscience (CAP LC) has submitted a comprehensive report addressing specific concerns regarding systemic discrimination. The Special Rapporteur’s visit, scheduled to take place from 26 January to 6 February 2026, aims to assess the situation of freedom of opinion and expression in the country. This assessment includes reviewing legal, institutional, and policy frameworks that protect or restrict these fundamental rights, as well as measures addressing intolerance, negative stereotyping, and stigmatization.

In response to the Call for Input issued by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls for her report to the 62nd session of the Human Rights Council, CAP Liberté de Conscience has submitted a comprehensive analysis titled “CAP LC report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls.” The submission, accessible via the official call https://www.ohchr.org/en/calls-for-input/2026/call-input-report-special-rapporteur-violence-against-women-and-girls-62nd, examines specific forms of institutional violence faced by mothers in contexts of intrafamilial violence, with a focus on the French socio-judicial system.

CAP Liberté de Conscience is deeply concerned about the deteriorating human rights situation in Iran, particularly regarding religious freedom and the persecution of religious minorities.

In August 2025, CAP Liberté de Conscience, in collaboration with a network of independent experts, submitted a communication to the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) under the United Nations’ communications procedure for the seventieth session (CSW70) scheduled for March 2026. The report addresses systemic barriers to justice for women and girls and provides evidence-based documentation on institutional and societal discrimination. The initiative is part of CAP Liberté de Conscience’s ongoing advocacy to enhance the protection of human rights at the international level.

The NGO CAP Liberté de Conscience has formally responded to the call for input issued by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on the “Experiences and perspectives of victims and survivors of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”. The call, detailed here, seeks to gather information for a comprehensive report to be presented at the 61st session of the Human Rights Council in March 2026.

CAP Liberté de Conscience (CAP LC), an international non-governmental organization with consultative status at the United Nations, has jointly submitted a report for the 52nd session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group, focusing on Denmark. This expert analysis was prepared in collaboration with Mr. Bashy Quraishy, Secretary General of the European Muslim Initiative for Social Cohesion (EMISCO), and Mr. Gregory Christensen, Leader of Youth for Human Rights – Denmark. Both experts are members of the Advisory Board of the Danish Institute for Human Rights and bring decades of experience in human rights, anti-discrimination, and minority integration work within Denmark and the European Union.

A group of experts on children submitted a contribution on behalf of CAP Liberté de Conscience to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child in response to its public call for contributions on draft general comment No. 27 (2025) on the right of children to access justice and effective remedy. The call for contributions is available on the OHCHR website.

At the 59th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, CAP Liberté de Conscience submitted a written statement detailing ongoing human rights violations in Sudan, emphasizing the urgent need for international attention and action. The statement highlights the severe impact of the conflict between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and other actors on civilians, including thousands killed or injured and nearly 12 million displaced persons, making it the world’s largest displacement crisis.

CAP Liberté de Conscience (CAP LC) has submitted a detailed report in response to the public consultation launched by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child regarding the draft of General Comment No. 27 on children’s right to access to justice and to an effective remedy. The call for submissions, available at the OHCHR website, seeks perspectives on improving mechanisms to ensure that children can access justice effectively and receive appropriate remedies for violations of their rights. The contributors addresses systemic challenges in France and proposes concrete recommendations to safeguard children’s rights in judicial and social protection settings.