Government restrictions on religion are on the rise around the world, with the number of countries imposing higher levels of government restrictions reaching a record high, according to a new study. The Pew Forum's 2024 report on the issue found that 59 countries had “high” or “very high” levels of government restrictions on religion in 2022, compared to 55 countries in 2021. was found, marking the highest value in the report. A total of 24 countries were reported to have “very high” restrictions on religion, up from 19 the previous year.
The list of countries with “very high” government restrictions includes Afghanistan, China, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
Another country on the “very high” list was Nigeria, which the U.S. State Department said had “multiple reports of religiously-related mob violence, kidnappings and mass killings by Muslim and Christian armed groups.” . The report further stated that “the extremist groups Boko Haram and West African ISIS have torched churches and mosques in the northeast of the country.”
Meanwhile, government harassment of religious beliefs and practices occurred in 186 countries, up from 183 countries a year earlier. The report said harassment includes “a wide range of acts from derogatory verbal comments to the use of physical force against religious groups and their property.”
Christians experienced the highest levels of harassment of all religions around the world. In 2022, Christians faced harassment by governments or social groups in 166 countries, up from 160 the year before.
In Iraq, the Syriac Catholic Church leader in Bartella said militias were trying to “take over Christian lands'' to drive out Christians and change the religious composition of the town, according to the report.
In Eritrea, three Catholic leaders were “detained after delivering a sermon discussing human rights issues in the country,” the report said.
Muslims are harassed in 148 countries, up from 141 in 2021. Jews were harassed in 90 countries in 2022.
“As in previous years, in 2022 Jews were the religious group that faced harassment in the third most countries, despite making up a relatively small proportion of the world's population (0.2%),” the report said. states.
Government restrictions on religion are most pronounced in the Middle East, North Africa and Asia-Pacific, the report said.
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michael faust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His articles have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, Christian Post, Leaf Chronicle, Toronto Star, and Knoxville News Sentinel.
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