Frank Schwabe new German Commissioner for religious freedom
Central Europe
The German Member of Parliament Frank Schwabe is appointed as the new Federal Commissioner for worldwide freedom of religion and belief. He is a member of the Social Democratic SPD.
The new German Cabinet approved his appointment this week on Wednesday. The 51-year-old Protestant succeeds Markus Grübel (Christian Democratic CDU), Idea Pressedienst reports.
The new commissioner announced that he would work to protect worldwide freedom of religion and belief. He also wants to give a clear response to human rights violations. According to him, belonging to a religion and worldview is an essential part of peoples' identity and connects people across nations.
International dialogue
The tasks of the commissioner include international dialogue on freedom of religion and belief. In addition, the commissioner also has to prepare a report on the worldwide situation of freedom of religion every two years, Katholisch.de writes.
Schwabe's predecessor, Grübel, feared earlier that the new liberal government would abolish the position of commissioner for religious freedom.
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