Types of Persecution

1675: Hindus persecuted by Mogul emperor Aurungzeb seek protection from Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur

Discriminations against those of various faiths (or none) exist in many different forms. Amazing, really, how many creative ways can be found to discriminate against someone for their beliefs!

Imagine, for example, that your friend and next door neighbour is from a different religion. It’s only because of this one difference, however, that she/he can go to school and you can’t. How would you feel about that? What might it mean for your future career prospects? Deciding between having an education and/or staying true to your faith is a pretty tough choice. Unfortunately, it’s one that some people have to make.

Denial of basic human rights like access to education, the opportunity to have one’s marriage registered, and to receive pensions is one form that such persecution can take. Legislation in some countries also places tougher registration requirements on those professing a minority faith. Consequences can include a restriction on activities, closure of religious institutions, or confiscation of literature. Sometimes entire faith or belief communities are targeted for violence, often becoming ‘scapegoats’ for broader political conflicts. While places used for worship have a right to be protected, there are, in many cases, unreasonable restrictions placed on building such properties and/or ones that exist may be destroyed. Such persecution represents an attack on very important symbols for a given community. Perhaps there is no greater test of faith than being imprisoned for one’s beliefs, and this still happens in many countries. Arrests, detentions, and longer-term prison sentences are, unfortunately, commonplace when it comes to persecution over matters of faith and belief.

The examples below are drawn from incidents in different countries over the period of March 2001-March 2003. These events really happened and show the types of persecution and discrimination that can occur. (More details on some of the situations noted can be found through Global Issues)

1. Restrictive legislation

* Passage of a restrictive religion law, widely criticised for its overly broad interpretations of what is considered appropriate religious practice. (France)
*Strict registration requirements and general monopoly of the Orthodox Church in some regions, resulting in discrimination of other churches and religions. (Russia)
* A law was drafted, which gave only certain churches and communities the status of a legal entity. Others would have had to fulfil various conditions in order to be registered. (Serbia)
* Passage of a restrictive religion law, which prohibits religions that have existed in the country for less than 20 years from publishing literature or setting up missions. (Belarus)

2.Violence against specific religious or belief groups

* Escalating group violence against worshippers of non-Orthodox faiths, especially Evangelical Christians and Jehovah’s Witnesses. The government has failed to prosecute those responsible. (Georgia)
* Assaults on Jews and vandalising of their homes, businesses, and places of worship. (Belgium, Germany, and the UK)
* Physical assaults on Muslims, firebombing of mosques, and hate speeches directed towards the Muslim community. (USA and Australia)
* Bloody religious clashes between Muslims and Christians (N. Nigeria) and between Muslims and Hindus. (India)

3. Human rights discriminations against religious or belief groups

*Prohibitions on the wearing of headscarves for Muslim women. (Turkey)
*Muslims are denied rights of citizenship and cannot receive national identity cards. Among other things, this effects their ability to get jobs. (Burma)
*Members of the Bahá’í Faith are denied pensions and opportunities for students to go on to tertiary education are also denied. (Iran)
*Town councils have refused to register the residencies of certain belief groups (Japan).

4. Incidents involving religious property

* Destruction of two Buddhist statues, which were renowned as both religious and archaeological treasures. (Afghanistan)
* Destruction of mosques by security forces as well as series of attacks on Orthodox churches by unknown arsonists. (Macedonia)
* Lack of restitution of property to mosques and churches, which continue to be state owned. (Bulgaria and Romania)
* Public worship by non-Muslims is banned and places of worship other than mosques are not permitted. (Saudi Arabia)

5. Arrests and detentions

* Both Buddhist and Christian leaders continue to face arbitrary detention and arrest. (Vietnam)
* Only the Russian Orthodox Church and the state-approved Spiritual Directorate of Muslims are officially registered. Prayer meetings of other religious groups are frequently raided and worshippers detained. (Turkmenistan)
* Several thousand Muslims are in jail for religious reasons, as only one governmental body sanctions the practice of Islam (Uzbekistan)
* Members of the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement have been detained, arrested, or sent to labour camps. (China)
* Jehovah’s Witnesses are jailed for their beliefs related to conscientious objection to military service. (Armenia)

Is Any Religion Or Belief Immune?

Religious Freedom in the World: A global report on freedom and persecution (published by Freedom House in 2000) states that:

Religious freedom and religious persecution affect all religious groups. A variety of groups – Christians and animists in Sudan, Bahá’ís in Iran, Ahmadiyas in Pakistan, Buddhists in Tibet, and Falun Gong in China – are perhaps the most intensely persecuted, while Christians are the most widely persecuted group. … Religions, whether large, such as Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, or Buddhism, or small, such as Bahá’í, Jehovah’s Witness, or Judaism, all suffer to some degree. In many cases, these restrictions come from people who are members of the same general religious group but who are part of a different subgroup. Thus, non-Orthodox Christians in Russia, Greece, and Armenia suffer discrimination from the Orthodox, while Shiite Muslims in Pakistan and Afghanistan suffer persecution and even death from some of the dominant Sunni groups. Religious freedom is also not confined to one area or continent.

If you belong to a belief community that is ‘free’ in one part of the world, it may not be so in another part of the world. It all depends on whether that group is a majority, or a minority, in a given country. Nor should we forget the belief systems such as atheism or humanism. While these groups have been persecutors (such as under Communism), they have also suffered persecution themselves in highly religious societies. For all of these reasons, it is very important to advocate for the rights of all religious and belief communities, wherever they may be.