State Neglect of Societal Discrimination Against, or Persecution of, Minority Religions
Some countries have legislation that discourages religious discrimination and persecution but fail to prevent conflicts, harassment or other harmful acts. Others do not respond with consistency and vigor to violations of religious freedom by nongovernmental entities or local law enforcement officials.
Bangladesh. Citizens generally are free to practice the religion of their choice; however, police are normally ineffective in upholding law and order and are often slow to assist members of religious minorities who have been victims of crimes. Human rights activists report an increase in religiously motivated violence. Religious minorities remain underrepresented in most government jobs, especially at the higher levels of the civil and foreign services. There were numerous reports of discrimination or violence against religious minorities; some (but not all) could be verified independently. The Government sometimes has failed to investigate the crimes and prosecute the perpetrators, who are often local gang leaders. Some foreign missionaries reported that internal security forces closely monitored their activities. The law neither permits citizens to proselytize nor prohibits proselytization; however, local authorities and communities often object to efforts to convert persons from Islam to other religions. Anti-Semitic attitudes are widespread among some Islamist activists and are sometimes evident in newspaper commentaries.
Egypt. The government continued to try citizens for unorthodox religious beliefs. The Government denied identity papers, birth certificates, and marriage licenses to members of the Baha’i community. There were numerous complaints of delayed church constructions. Christians are discriminated against in the public sector and in staff appointments to public universities. Christians were refused admission to Al-Azhar University, a publicly funded institution. Those accused of proselytizing have been harassed by police or arrested on charges of violating the penal code that prohibits the ridiculing or insulting of heavenly religions or inciting sectarian strife. The Government does not recognize conversions from Islam to Christianity or other religions. Mosque and church repairs are now subject to the same laws, but enforcement of the laws appears to be much stricter for churches than for mosques. Incidents of blocked or delayed permits vary, often depending on the attitude of local security officials and the governor toward the church. There are credible reports of government harassment or lack of cooperation with Christian families that attempt to regain custody of their daughters in cases of marriage between an underage Christian girl and a Muslim boy. There were credible reports that three of four Shi’a Muslims arrested in December and held without charge were tortured in detention. In January, the Government established a National Human Rights Council with a Coptic Christian as its head. The Court of Cassation, the country’s highest appellate court, upheld the acquittal of 94 of 96 suspects who were charged with various offenses committed during the 2000 sectarian strife in al-Kush. The government failed to bring to justice those responsible for the murder of the 21 Christians killed in that conflict.
Article comments
1 - Jim Carruthers
Lemme see, uhm, working to bring back Cthulhu from the city of R'lyeh, and trying to organize an anarcho-syndicalist soccer league. And then there's the grow-op, but we don't talk about that. As for child-care, those thieving street urchins are almost as much bother as the revenue they bring in, so I'd have to call that a break-even.
2 - Eric Olsen
Say, do you know a guy named "Artful Dodger"?
3 - Jim Carruthers
But I do know about food, glorious food. But, yah, I might have seen him. Who wants to know?
4 - Eric Olsen
his mum misses him