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Pope Francis
Pope Francis delivers his speech alongside Albania's president, Bujar Nishani, in Tirana. He praised the country's religous pluralism. Photograph: Ciro Fusco/AP
Pope Francis delivers his speech alongside Albania's president, Bujar Nishani, in Tirana. He praised the country's religous pluralism. Photograph: Ciro Fusco/AP

Pope Francis praises human rights and religious freedom during Albania visit

This article is more than 9 years old
Pontiff criticises Islamic extremism in Iraq and Syria during one-day trip to Tirana, his first European visit outside Italy

Pope Francis has spoken out against those who use religion as a pretext for violence and oppression, in his clearest denunciation yet of the Islamic state militants murdering their way across Syria and Iraq.

The pope made his comments during a one-day visit to Albania, during which he praised the good relations between its majority Muslim community and its Christian denominations.

"Let no one consider themselves the 'armour' of God while planning and carrying out acts of violence and oppression," he said at the presidential palace in Tirana, responding to an address by the Albanian president, Bujar Nishani, who is Muslim.

"May no one use religion as a pretext for actions against human dignity and against the fundamental rights of every man and woman, above all to the right to life and the right of everyone to religious freedom," he said.

Francis, on his first trip as pope to a European country outside Italy, made no direct reference to Islamic State (Isis) militants who have seized territory in Syria and Iraq, but it was clear he had events in the Middle East in mind.

Security was unusually tight for Francis's visit to the majority Muslim country amid reports that militants who trained in Iraq and Syria had returned and may pose a threat.

The Vatican insisted no special security measures had been taken. Uniformed Albanian police formed human chains to keep the crowds at bay behind barricades while Francis's bodyguards stood watch, perched on the back of his car or jogging alongside. Albania's interior ministry promised "maximum" protection involving 2,500 police and beefed-up patrols at border crossings.

In Tirana, Francis lauded the mutual respect and trust between Muslims, Catholics and Orthodox Christians in Albania as a "precious gift" and a powerful symbol in today's world.

"This is especially the case in these times where an authentic religious spirit is being perverted by extremist groups and where religious differences are being distorted and instrumentalised," said Francis.

Francis's decision to choose tiny, poverty-ridden Albania instead of one of the continent's big Catholic powers for his first European trip as pontiff is in keeping with a papacy that wants to give priority to the poor and the neglected.

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