A/HRC/61/33 The experts emphasized that vague and stigmatizing language in the law risked arbitrary enforcement and disproportionately affected religious minorities and women. They urged Tajikistan to reconsider the law and ensure that any restrictions on rights were consistent with the principles of legality, necessity and proportionality and were not discriminatory on the basis of religion, culture, gender or belief.53 58. In its concluding observations on the fourth periodic report submitted by Viet Nam under the Covenant, adopted in July, the Human Rights Committee expressed its deep concern about the increasing discrimination, harassment and intimidation of religious minorities in Viet Nam, including Montagnard and Hmong Protestants, Khmer Krom Buddhists, Cao Dai and Hoa Hao. It noted that the Law on Religion and Belief and related decrees imposed undue restrictions through mandatory registration and vague national security provisions and that counter-terrorism laws were applied to target those groups. The Committee urged Viet Nam to guarantee freedom of religion and belief, in line with article 18 of the Covenant, to prevent undue interference and to ensure objective registration criteria. 54 59. In August and December, United Nations human rights experts expressed concern over legislative, judicial and administrative measures in Estonia that appeared to target the Estonian Orthodox Church, a minority religious community affiliated with the Moscow Patriarchate. Those measures included the adoption of the Churches and Congregations (Amendment) Act in June 2025, which introduced broad restrictions on religious associations with foreign affiliations that were deemed to be a national security threat. The experts warned that such actions might amount to institutionalized religious discrimination and violated multiple provisions of the Covenant. They emphasized that national security could not be invoked to restrict internal religious belief or peaceful canonical affiliation and called upon Estonia to suspend enforcement of the Act, refrain from further punitive actions against the Estonian Orthodox Church and ensure equal treatment of all religious communities under international human rights law.55 60. In October, United Nations human rights experts expressed concern that, in Ukraine, allegations regarding the ecclesiastical and canonical links of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to the Moscow Patriarchate were being used to restrict the scope of freedom of worship and religious practice. They emphasized that freedom of religion was a non-derogable right, even during armed conflict, and highlighted serious concerns with the law on the protection of constitutional order in the sphere of activities of religious organizations, which allowed for the dissolution of religious organizations that maintained an affiliation with the Moscow Patriarchate, stating that equating religious ties with national security threats created a framework for State control incompatible with international norms. They urged the Government of Ukraine to review the law, halt legal actions targeting clergy, human rights defenders and journalists and ensure that freedom of religion was upheld, even in times of conflict.56 61. In October, OHCHR contributed to the Global Ethics Forum by presenting at a round table on multi-stakeholder diplomacy, where it highlighted the importance of inclusive dialogue in countering polarization and promoting human dignity.57 Members of the Faith for Rights community of practice shared experiences on leveraging the ethical and spiritual influence of religious leaders to challenge narratives of dehumanization and resist the instrumentalization of religion and belief. Building on a series of peer-to-peer learning events 53 54 55 56 57 GE.25-21065 See https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=30168. CCPR/C/VNM/CO/4, paras. 44 and 45. See https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=30183; and the Government’s response, https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=39268. See also www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/12/un-experts-concerned-escalating-legislative-andadministrative-measures. See www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/10/ukraine-un-experts-warn-persecution-againstukrainian-orthodox-church. See https://globethics.net/gef2025-changing-narrative-preparing-peace-multistakeholder-dialogueand-plan-action. 13