News24
17 Jul 2019, 17:41 GMT+10
Religious restrictions are on the rise across the globe amid increasing violence and harassment of those practicing, a recent report from the Pew Research Centre found.
The number of restrictions imposed on religion has risen since 2007 in both authoritarian countries as well as liberal democracies in Europe, the report said on Monday.
It underlined that cases of harassment against Christians emerged in 143 countries in 2017, while Muslims were harassed in 140 nations.
The hostilities include violence and harassment by private individuals and groups, the report said.
According to the report, 52 governments - including China, Indonesia and Russia - impose either "high" or "very high" levels of restrictions on religion, up from 40 states in 2007.
Countries with the lowest levels of religious restrictions were South Africa, Japan, the Philippines, Brazil and South Korea.
Pressurised conversions
Since 2007, the largest increases in hostility towards religion occurred in Europe and the Middle East-North Africa region, according to the report.
In Europe, the number of countries reportedly exhibiting religious hostility rose from 21 to 33 by 2017.
The report said in Europe, 20 countries placed restrictions on religious dress, including face veils used by some Muslim women, up from only five in 2007.
In Germany, the report said thousands of refugees were pressured to convert to Christianity using the threat of deportation, while "incentivising them by offering accelerated baptism, free lunch and transportation costs".
In Asia, Pew highlighted the harassment of hundreds of thousands of Uighur Muslims in China, who have been sent to so called "re-education camps", as well as in Myanmar, where hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims were forced to flee their homes after a bloody crackdown by the military.
The Rohingya are described by the UN as the world's most persecuted people. The UN last month accused the Myanmar government of practicing a "policy of apartheid".
According to Amnesty International, more than 750 000 Rohingya refugees, mostly women and children, have fled Myanmar and crossed into Bangladesh.
Get a daily dose of Rio De Janeiro Sun news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Rio De Janeiro Sun.
More InformationBuenos Aires [Argentina], July 6 (ANI): After concluding his visit to Argentina on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed...
Buenos Aires [Argentina], July 6 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed cooperation in the energy and critical minerals sectors...
Buenos Aires [Argentina], July 6 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed cooperation in the energy and critical minerals sectors...
Buenos Aires [Argentina], July 5 (ANI): After their delegation-level talks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of Argentina...
Astana [Kazakhstan], July 5 (ANI): India's boxing contingent at the World Boxing Cup, Kazakhstan 2025, will be vying for at least eight...
Buenos Aires [Argentina], July 5 (ANI): Delegation-level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Argentine President Javier...
MADRID, Spain: Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota and his younger brother, André Silva, have died in a car accident in Spain. Spanish...
LONDON, U.K.: An unrelenting heatwave sweeping across Europe has pushed early summer temperatures to historic highs, triggering deadly...
President Donald Trump's plans to build a space-based Golden Dome missile defense shield have drawn immediate criticism from China,...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: Paramount has agreed to pay US$16 million to settle a lawsuit brought by U.S. President Donald Trump over...
LONDON, U.K.: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer won a vote in Parliament this week to move ahead with changes to the country's welfare...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: President Donald Trump will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday. President...