(RNS) The State Department issued its annual human rights report Thursday (March 11), noting religious freedom violations in countries ranging from China to Iraq to Saudi Arabia.
The report on 194 countries called 2009 “a year in which ethnic, racial, and religious tensions led to violent conflicts and serious human rights violations.”
The State Department said “no genuine freedom of religion” exists in North Korea and Cuban law permits punishment of “any unauthorized assembly of more than three persons, including those for private religious services in private homes.”
The report said religious minorities continue to face “escalating discrimination and persecution.” In Iraq, for example, despite the government’s public calls for tolerance, attacks on places of worship by extremist and insurgent groups limited their ability to practice their faith.
In China, repression of Tibetan Buddhists and Muslim Uighurs increased, the report said. Non-Muslims are prohibited from expressing their religion publicly in Saudi Arabia.
The department noted that several countries with “generally strong”
human rights records had been home to religious freedom violations in 2009, citing the recent ban on construction of minarets in Switzerland as an example.
“Discrimination against Muslims in Europe has been an increasing concern,” the report said.
– Adelle M. Banks
Copyright 2010 Religion News Service. All rights reserved. No part of this transmission may be distributed or reproduced without written permission.
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posted March 12, 2010 at 6:34 pm
What about in Israel, where Palestinians (mainly Muslim) regularly have their homes and land stolen for the benefit of powerful Israelis?
posted March 12, 2010 at 7:01 pm
Good question, nnmns!
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posted March 14, 2010 at 11:57 am
What about in America?
Faiths that perform same-sex marriages are still denied their legitimacy by the Federl government, despite the fact that same-sex couples married in their churches are legally married in 7 American jurisdictions. How is this NOT favorinng the anti-gay churches?
posted March 14, 2010 at 8:10 pm
Your right, your name.
I’ve always wondered that myself. I’m Wiccan and can perform marriages as well as know other Christian churches that will marry Same Sex couples. I’m curious why the State Dept. never publishes what happens at home, too. I also want to say that what is listed is equally important as well!
posted March 15, 2010 at 11:29 am
It is so much easier to point and shake a finger at other folks. No one wants to look in a National mirror and shake fingers at ourselves. We have plenty of religious oppression here. Look at how poorly Muslims are often treated. Our allies are the same (as pointed out so well, Israel is a great violator of religious rights) – and the western European nations are all reeling from a variety of abuses and issues.
posted March 15, 2010 at 3:47 pm
Regarding Israel (yes, again; there’s so much to say).
here’s an article about religiously-inspired sex-segregated busses in Jerusalem. In religious fundamentalism Israel is not that different from some Muslim nations we worry about.
Now here’s the more important article. It’s in the journal Foreign Policy and describes a briefing of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ordered by General Petraeus because of his concern about the danger Israeli policies is causing US troops and, indeed, us. Please read it. It will open a lot of eyes.
posted March 16, 2010 at 1:13 pm
I just came across this article by Prof. Juan Cole which summarizes the decades-long thefts of Palestinian land by Israel.