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Challenging a governmental disinformation campaign against Christians

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Two Bulgarian pastors stood up against a scaremongering attempt by the local government in Burgas to label all evangelical Christians as sects.

In 2008, the City Council of Burgas, together with the police, sent a letter to all school administrators in the city. In the letter they made slanderous accusations against evangelical Christians and instructed faculty to “inform” children of the danger they pose and provide written feedback.

But in December 2022, Pastor Tonchev and Kiryakov received a win from the European Court of Human Rights, affirming that religious freedom is for everyone!

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"Everyone has the right to live in accordance with what they believe and should be able to share their faith with their friends and neighbors without facing government hostility. That’s why we [supported] the case of Pastor Tonchev and Pastor Kiryakov at the European Court of Human Rights."

- Robert Clarke, Deputy Director of ADF International

Case Summary

In 2008, the City Council of Burgas, Bulgaria, together with the police, sent a letter to all school administrators in the city. In it they accused Evangelical Christians of “carrying out a massive campaign of agitation,” “tricking new members,” and “disuniting the Bulgarian nation”. They also alleged that there was a danger of suffering “mental aberrations and disorders” when attending Protestant church services. Students in every class were asked to report if they had ever met someone from one of the groups. The government also provided material to the press to generate coverage on what was referred to as its “War on the Sects”.

“When we read the letter, we were shocked because after the fall of communism, we thought that we would be able to share the Gospel freely. At the same time, the media also started to say that we are dangerous cults and sectarians, and that people should be very careful,” recalled Pastor Kiryakov.

“It has been 14 years since Bulgarian officials first labeled these courageous pastors and their churches as ‘sects’, seeking to bar them from freely living out their faith. Most egregiously, the authorities sought to scare families from encountering Jesus Christ through these ministries by way of a scaremongering campaign targeting children. They never received an apology or retraction, but now, with this ruling, justice has been served for all people of faith in Bulgaria,” said allied lawyer Viktor Kostov.

The government never retracted the letter, and national courts rejected the case. The pastors, with the support of ADF International, appealed to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on the grounds that everyone should be able to share their faith without facing government hostility.

On December 22, 2022, the ECHR condemned the government of Bulgaria for violating the right to religious freedom of Evangelical Christians in the country.

As noted by Clarke, “The Court’s ruling offers a pivotal opportunity for Bulgaria, as a post-Communist society, to recommit to human rights for all, including the religious freedom rights of those belonging to a minority faith group. The peaceful coexistence of beliefs is essential for the flourishing of a vibrant democracy, and such diversity must be recognized and protected by the government of Bulgaria”.