{"id":77022,"date":"2025-09-04T13:40:06","date_gmt":"2025-09-04T11:40:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/?p=77022"},"modified":"2025-09-04T15:15:54","modified_gmt":"2025-09-04T13:15:54","slug":"european-court-dismisses-challenge-to-slovakias-covid-worship-bans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/european-court-dismisses-challenge-to-slovakias-covid-worship-bans","title":{"rendered":"European Court Dismisses Challenge to Slovakia\u2019s COVID Worship Bans\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"77022\" class=\"elementor elementor-77022\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-618eaf23 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"618eaf23\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6575c826\" data-id=\"6575c826\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e2edf06 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e2edf06\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul><li><p>The challenge brought by top EU official and former Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief outside the EU, Dr. J\u00e1n Fige\u013e to the European Court of Human Rights\u202fis ruled inadmissible on narrow grounds<\/p><\/li><li><p>Court disregards key information that the applicant submitted<\/p><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-70bd1f43 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-featured-image elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"70bd1f43\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-featured-image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Jan-Figel-Testimony.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-33824\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Jan-Figel-Testimony.jpg 500w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Jan-Figel-Testimony-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Jan-Figel-Testimony-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-246f6c84 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"246f6c84\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong><span class=\"TextRun SCXW185321715 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW185321715 BCX0\">Strasbourg (4 September 2025)<\/span><\/span><\/strong><span class=\"TextRun SCXW185321715 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW185321715 BCX0\"> \u2013 In a disappointing decision for religious freedom, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has <\/span><\/span><a class=\"Hyperlink SCXW185321715 BCX0\" href=\"https:\/\/hudoc.echr.coe.int\/#{%22fulltext%22:[%22figel%22],%22itemid%22:[%22001-244827%22]}\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span class=\"TextRun Underlined SCXW185321715 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW185321715 BCX0\" data-ccp-charstyle=\"Hyperlink\">ruled<\/span><\/span><\/a><span class=\"TextRun SCXW185321715 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW185321715 BCX0\"> Dr. J\u00e1n <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW185321715 BCX0\">Fige\u013e\u2019s<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW185321715 BCX0\"> challenge to Slovakia\u2019s sweeping bans on communal worship during the COVID-19 pandemic inadmissible. <\/span><\/span><a class=\"Hyperlink SCXW185321715 BCX0\" href=\"https:\/\/hudoc.echr.coe.int\/#{%22fulltext%22:[%22figel%22],%22itemid%22:[%22001-244827%22]}\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span class=\"TextRun Underlined SCXW185321715 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW185321715 BCX0\" data-ccp-charstyle=\"Hyperlink\">The Court concluded<\/span><\/span><\/a><span class=\"TextRun SCXW185321715 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW185321715 BCX0\"> that<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW185321715 BCX0\"> it would not rule on the merits of <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW185321715 BCX0\">Fige\u013e<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW185321715 BCX0\">s<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW185321715 BCX0\"> challenge because it was not sufficiently clear how Fige\u013e himself was negatively <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW185321715 BCX0\">impacted<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW185321715 BCX0\"> by the measures taken by the Slovak government and he could therefore not be regarded as victim. This comes as a surprise to the applicant who detailed<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW185321715 BCX0\">,\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW185321715 BCX0\">in his July 2023 <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW185321715 BCX0\">re<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW185321715 BCX0\">s<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW185321715 BCX0\">ponse<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW185321715 BCX0\">,<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW185321715 BCX0\"> how he was affected and addressed all the points the court claimed he <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW185321715 BCX0\">failed to<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW185321715 BCX0\"> provide. The case, co-represented by ADF International and Slovak lawyer Martin Timcs\u00e1k, had aimed to uphold the right to strong legal protections for religious worship in times of crisis.\u202f<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW185321715 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-52fe6aa4 elementor-blockquote--skin-border elementor-widget elementor-widget-blockquote\" data-id=\"52fe6aa4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"blockquote.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<blockquote class=\"elementor-blockquote\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-blockquote__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span style=\"color: #AF272F\">\u201cReligious freedom is among the most vital and central human rights. <\/span>I am deeply saddened by the Court\u2019s decision not to rule on the merits of this case and recognise that the government overstepped the European Convention by banning collective worship repeatedly. While this decision is a setback, our efforts to defend fundamental freedoms must and will continue.\u201d\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-q-footer\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<cite class=\"elementor-blockquote__author\">-Dr. J\u00e1n Fige\u013e, former Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief outside the EU<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1b872cfc elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1b872cfc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Unjustified restrictions remain unaddressed by the Court\u202f <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5a336605 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5a336605\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In 2021, the Slovak Republic extended its COVID-19 restrictions to include a total ban on religious services. The Court did not address the question of whether the bans were proportionate, necessary, and aimed at protecting public health.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201c<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This is a disappointing outcome for people of faith and for religious freedom across Europe<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u201d said Dr. Adina Portaru, Senior Counsel for ADF International. \u201c<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The Court\u2019s decision to dismiss the case is based on a surprising disregard of the information that was provided by the applicant. Unfortunately, due to the procedural rules of the Court, this decision cannot be challenged, despite being unjust and ill-reasoned. Fundamental freedoms should be upheld even in times of crisis, not set aside. The international legal framework is clear: communal worship is not a privilege, but a protected right.\u201d<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Why a ruling would matter<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) failed to address whether Slovakia\u2019s ban on communal worship was legally justified in the context of the COVID-19 emergency, despite arguments that the measures lacked a clear legal basis and failed to meet the thresholds of legality, necessity, and proportionality.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cThe ECtHR has thus far not ruled on any COVID-19 case concerning freedom of religion or belief, despite so much time passing, and despite the dire need to correct the wrongs done to fundamental freedoms during the pandemic. <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Religious communities demonstrated they could worship safely,<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201d said Portaru. \u201c<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">We regret that the Court did not seize the opportunity to recognize that less restrictive options were available and that spiritual nourishment is as essential as physical well-being<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u201d\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Broad support for religious freedom<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Dr. J\u00e1n Fige\u013e, former EU Commissioner and the first Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief outside the EU (2016-2019), brought the case not only to defend his own rights, but also to stand for the broader principle of religious freedom in Slovakia and beyond.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u202f\u201c<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As Special Envoy, I saw firsthand how fragile freedom is. I believe the EU cannot credibly promote religious freedom abroad if we fail to uphold it at home<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u201d said Fige\u013e. \u201c<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This case was about ensuring that worship does not become a dispensable right in times of crisis.<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201d\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Fige\u013e\u2019s case had garnered strong backing from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tkkbs.sk\/view.php?cisloclanku=20210322041\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">civil society<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, including leaders in academia, politics, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tkkbs.sk\/view.php?cisloclanku=20210322036\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">religious communities<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> from diverse backgrounds.\u202f\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Global advocacy continues<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u202fADF International continues its global advocacy for religious freedom. It has fought similar worship bans worldwide. The organization has supported successful legal challenges to discriminatory worship bans in Uganda, Ireland, Scotland, and Switzerland. While the Court&#8217;s decision in the Fige\u013e case is a setback, ADF International emphasizes that the fight for religious freedom is far from over.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201c<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Human rights must remain robust, even under pressure,<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201d concluded Portaru. \u201c<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Today\u2019s decision does not mark the end of the discussion. It strengthens our resolve to continue advocating for the rights of all people to live out their faith freely and publicly, including the basic right to worship together.\u201d<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1286be73 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"1286be73\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5c90baa8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5c90baa8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" 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grounds.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":33824,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,736],"tags":[226,130,566,27],"class_list":{"0":"post-77022","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-news","9":"tag-adina-portaru","10":"tag-europe","11":"tag-jan-figel","12":"tag-religious-freedom"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>European Court Dismisses Challenge to Slovakia\u2019s COVID Worship Bans\u00a0 - ADF International<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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