Shumen

 

Religious freedom in Iran and Bulgaria

 

 a comparative analysis

 

At present, Iran has constructed and operates as a functioning state of Islamic principles of Sharia.

Statistically, religions represented in the country look as follows:

Muslims 95% of the population, including Shiites – 85 % and Sunnis – 10 %.

The rest 5% of the population practise:

Christianity – 0,7%, Bahai  – 0, 7%, Zoroastrianism – 0,1%, Judaism – 0, 1%, al-Hajj – 3%, Alevi –1, 4%.

Government of Iran includes a "council of experts" consisting of 86 members, all Islamic theologians and the Guardian Council - a panel of 6 members lawyers Muslims. These two institutions ensure the implementation of Sharia - Muslim law in Iran.

  From this structure of government it is not difficult to figure out that the Iranian Islamic state operates exclusively for the benefit of Muslims.

While the Christian community is represented in the Iranian Majlis by two MPs and enjoy some protection to persecution, Baháís and representatives of Judaism are subject to prosecution and repressions.

Baháís are considered heretics in Iranian society and have access to higher education.

Although Judaism is formally protected - presented with one place in the Iranian Majlis, as a result of the repressions in 1980, the Jewish community has reduced from 80,000 to 30,000 people. The largest community of Iranian Jews currently  is in the USA.

Constitution and the Law on Religion of 2002 in Bulgaria regulates the following rights:

Art. 2 (1) The right of religion is fundamental, absolute, subjective, personal and inviolable.

(2) The right of religion shall include everybody’s right freely to form his/her religious persuasions and to choose, change and worship (practice) freely his/her religion – individually or in collective, in public or in private, by worship, teaching, rites and rituals.

Art. 3 (1) Nobody shall be persecuted or limited in his rights because of his religious beliefs. No limitations or privileges based on affiliation or rejection of affiliation to a religion are allowed. (2) Religious convictions shall not be basis for a refusal to fulfill obligations established by the Constitution.

Art. 4 (1) The religions are free and equal in rights. Religious institutions are separate from the state. (2)No state interference in the internal organization of the self-administered religious institutions shall be allowed. (3) The state shall provide conditions for free and unhindered exercise of the rights of religion assisting with maintenance of tolerance and respect between the believers from the different religions and between believers and non-believers. (4) No religiously based discrimination shall be allowed.

It is clear that a secular state such as Bulgaria ensures the freely development and confession of religious beliefs and do not allow religious discrimination. While the Islamic country such as Iran outlaws and subject to repression large social groups of the population, forcing them to emigrate because of their religious beliefs.

 

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