A new study has found that almost a third of the global population live in areas where restrictions on religious beliefs and practices increased between 2006 and 2009.
The study was commissioned by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life and operated under the idea that ‘restrictions’ includes both social hostilities and government restrictions. The study found that these restrictions increased in 23 of the world’s 198 countries (12 per cent), decreased in 12 countries (6 per cent) and remained unchanged in 163 countries (82 per cent).
Eight countries saw a substantial increase in restrictions while no countries experienced a substantial decrease. China, Egypt, Nigeria, Russia, Thailand, Vietnam as well as France and the United Kingdom were listed as countries where religious people find it difficult to practice their faith.
The report found that Christians were harassed 130 countries, Muslims in 117 countries, Jews in 75 countries and Buddhists in 16 countries.
198 countries and territories were scored by the group based on government laws, policies and actions as well as acts of religious hostility, religious harassment and other religion-related intimidation or abuse.
"During the three-year period covered by the study, the extent of violence and abuse related to religion increased in more places than it decreased," the report stated.
"The number of countries in which governments used at least some measure of force against religious groups or individuals rose from 91 (46 per cent) in the period ending in mid-2008 to 101 (51 per cent) in the period ending in mid-2009. This violence was wide-ranging, including individuals being killed, physically abused, imprisoned, detained or displaced from their homes, as well as damage to or destruction of personal or religious properties."
Interestingly enough, 76 per cent of the measured countries provide for freedom of religion in the constitution or in basic laws, but this does not prevent 46 per cent of those countries from interfering with worship or other religious practices.