Shumen

 

The current situation of freedom of religion and conscience in the world

 

Studies conducted by the Pew Research Center have found that 1/3 of the world countries can’t practice freely their religion. This means that the religious freedom of 70 % of the population on the planet is oppressed since some of these countries are extremely populous. According to that research the tendency to oppress the rights of religion is a result of the state politics and laws of these countries or of the hostile acts on the part of individual people or groups caused by religious intolerance.

The results of the research show that the citizens of Iran, Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan and India, some of the most populous countries in the world bear the largest restrictions concerning religious practice. In 20 % of the countries in the world there are lots of strict restrictions imposed by the government. In some countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iran as well as the former communist countries such as Bulgaria, Belarus and Russia the state atheism has been replaced by religion protected by authorities and enjoys privileges.

In Brazil, Japan, the USA, Italy, South Africa and Great Britain people enjoy much freedom of religious practice.

At the same time France may deny citizenship because of Islamic clothing. The French Minister of Immigration, Eric Besson, calls for banning the burkha and other types of Islamic full head and body covers. Mr Besson said: 'The burkha is unacceptable and contrary to the principles of national identity, of sexual equality and of the French Republic.'

At the beginning of 2010 a parliamentary report denied the thesis that the citizens are due to be recognizable in public. The parliament did not approve the ban on wearing burkha fearing it could be anticonstitutional.

A Belgian parliamentary committee has voted to ban face-covering Islamic veils from being worn in public. The full support of the home affairs committee means parliament is likely to vote for the curbs in mid-April, with a ban in force by the summer.

Under the proposals a fine or punishment of up to seven days in prison would be imposed for wearing the full-body burqa or face-masking niqab. The bill states that anyone in a public place "with face covered or disguised in whole or in part to the extent that she cannot be identified" is liable to incur the penalties.

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