Bangladesh (44th Session)

Bangladesh

(44th Session)

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ADF International is a faith-based legal advocacy organization that protects fundamental freedoms and promotes the inherent dignity of all people.

This report addresses the state of freedom of religion, of expression, and of association, as well as the situation of religious minorities in Bangladesh. In particular, it draws attention with considerable concern to laws criminalizing expression deemed to be outraging or wounding of religious feelings. It also makes note of the rising social hostility faced by Christians and other people belonging to religious minorities.

Uzbekistan (44th Session)

Uzbekistan

(44th Session)

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ADF International is a faith-based legal advocacy organization that protects fundamental freedoms and promotes the inherent dignity of all people.

This report brings attention to the situation of freedom of religion and expression in Uzbekistan, with particular attention to persons belonging to religious minorities. Notably, it highlights the barriers related to the registration and operations of unregistered religious groups. It also expresses concern at laws criminalizing peaceful proselytism and the sharing of religious materials, as well as the other overbroad restrictions on the exercise of freedom of expression. Finally, it draws attention to cases of violence, abuse, and intimidation suffered by persons belonging to religious communities at the hands of state and non-state actors alike.

Pastors Tonchev and Kiryakov: Bulgaria

Two Bulgarian pastors stood up against a scaremongering campaign by their local government to label all non-Eastern Orthodox Christians as sects and warn children off against them. The ECHR heard their case, they won and were awarded damages.

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Shagufta and Shafqat: Pakistan

Shagufta und Shafqat

The Pakistani Christian couple Shagufta and Shafqat languished on death row for seven years on false blasphemy charges. Their death sentence was overturned in June 2021. They are now safe in Europe.

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Anti-Conversion Laws

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Anti-Conversion Laws

Four countries in South and Southeast Asia—India, Nepal, Myanmar, and Bhutan—have laws that severely regulate religious conversion. Government officials and the police, in line with increasingly nationalist politicians and lawmakers, selectively enforce these laws, effectively banning conversion from the majority religion to a minority religion, in particular Christianity and Islam. This article examines the language of these anti-conversion laws, the political and religious contexts in which they became law, and their effects on religious minorities.