USCIRF Issues Report On Women's Rights and Religious Freedom

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom yesterday issued a new report titled Women and Religious Freedom: Synergies and Opportunities.  Here is the "Overview" section of the 14-page report:

Observing the synergies between FORB [Freedom of Religion or Belief] and women’s equality has not been made particularly straightforward by the architecture of international human rights law. The human rights sources that address FORB and women’s rights to equality are distinct, and emerged from the lobbying of separate constituencies.

This textually distinct basis is compounded by the thrust of the research and advocacy in women’s rights, which strongly highlights that violations to women’s rights are carried out in the name of religion, or at least that violations to women’s rights are excused or postponed due to the intransigence of religious tradition and culture, whether perpetuated by state or non-state actors or a combination thereof. This serves to exacerbate the (mis)perception of a necessary and inevitable clash between women’s rights to equality and FORB.

The juxtaposition of these two allegedly conflicting rights is conceptually untenable and counterproductive.  It violates the universality of human rights in and of itself, since unless there is a holistic approach to human rights, its “indivisibility” and “interdependence” is denied. Furthermore, it fails to provide full redress to all, since it forces female claimants to “choose” to advance their right to either equality or FORB.

The purpose of this paper is to seek to identify synergies as well as complexities between FORB and the right to women’s equality through the analysis of various international human rights law documents impacting this topic.

New USCIRF Report On Minority Religions In Kurdistan

Last week the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom released a 77-page report: Kurdistan Region of Iraq: New USCIRF Report on Religious Minorities in the KRI.  Here an excerpt from the Report's Executive Summary:

In recent years the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) has been a haven for minorities fleeing the turmoil and sectarian violence in the south of Iraq. The KRI offers religious freedoms that are comparatively robust as compared to those of its regional neighbors. Even so, troubling issues related to discrimination and even violence targeting ethnic and religious minorities exist, exacerbated by the KRI’s strained resources and security situation. Such issues must not be disregarded just because of the security situation in Iraq, or because of the KRI’s successes as compared with the wider region.

International Religious Freedom Provisions In Just-Signed Budget Act

H.R. 244, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (full text), which President Trump signed into law yesterday contains a number of provisions relating to religious liberty. Among the provisions are the following that focus on international religious freedom initiatives:

SEC. 7033.

(a) International Religious Freedom Office And Special Envoy To Promote Religious Freedom.—

(1) Funds appropriated by this Act under the heading “Diplomatic and Consular Programs” shall be made available for the Office of International Religious Freedom, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Department of State, the Office of the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, and the Special Envoy to Promote Religious Freedom of Religious Minorities in the Near East and South Central Asia.... 

(2) Funds appropriated under the heading “Diplomatic and Consular Programs” and designated for the Office of International Religious Freedom shall be made available for the development and implementation of an international religious freedom curriculum.... 

(b) Assistance.—

(1) INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM PROGRAMS.—Of the funds appropriated by this Act under the heading “Democracy Fund” and available for the Human Rights and Democracy Fund (HRDF), not less than $10,000,000 shall be made available for international religious freedom programs: Provided, That the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom shall consult with the Committees on Appropriations on the uses of such funds.

(2) PROTECTION AND INVESTIGATION PROGRAMS.—Of the funds appropriated by this Act under the heading “Economic Support Fund”, not less than $10,000,000 shall be made available for programs to protect vulnerable and persecuted religious minorities: Provided, That a portion of such funds shall be made available for programs to investigate the persecution of such minorities by governments and non-state actors and for the public dissemination of information collected on such persecution, including on the Department of State Web site.

(3) HUMANITARIAN PROGRAMS.—Funds appropriated by this Act under the headings “International Disaster Assistance” and “Migration and Refugee Assistance” shall be made available for humanitarian assistance for vulnerable and persecuted religious minorities, including victims of genocide designated by the Secretary of State and other groups that have suffered crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing.... 

(4) TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE, RECONCILIATION, AND REINTEGRATION PROGRAMS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA REGIONS.—

(A) Not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act and after consultation with relevant central governments in the Middle East and North Africa regions, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations a plan for transitional justice, reconciliation, and reintegration programs for vulnerable and persecuted religious minorities in such regions.... 

(c) International Broadcasting.—Funds appropriated by this Act under the heading “Broadcasting Board of Governors, International Broadcasting Operations” shall be made available for programs related to international religious freedom, including reporting on the condition of vulnerable and persecuted religious groups.

(d) Atrocities Prevention.—Funds appropriated by this Act under the headings “Economic Support Fund” and “International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement” shall be made available for programs to prevent atrocities and to implement the recommendations of the Atrocities Prevention Board....

(e) Designation Of Non-State Actors.—The President shall, concurrent with the annual foreign country review required by section 402(b)(1) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ... review and identify any non-state actors in such countries that have engaged in particularly severe violations of religious freedom, and designate, in a manner consistent with such Act, each such group as a non-state actor of particular concern for religious freedom operating in such reviewed country or surrounding region: Provided, That whenever the President designates such a non-state actor under this subsection, the President shall, as soon as practicable after the designation is made, submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees detailing the reasons for such designation.

Europe's Parliamentarians Promote Rights of Parents and Children of Religious Minorities

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on April 27 adopted a Resolution (full text) on The Protection of the Rights of Parents and Children Belonging to Religious Minorities. The Resolution provides in part:

The landscape of religious communities in Europe is complex and evolving, with traditional beliefs spreading beyond their historical territory and new denominations emerging. Such an environment has the potential to render families belonging to religious minorities ostracised for their views and values in contexts where there is a dominant majority that holds conflicting views....

 5. The Assembly therefore calls on all member States of the Council of Europe to protect the rights of parents and children belonging to religious minorities by taking practical steps, legislative or otherwise, to:

5.1. affirm the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion for all individuals, including the right not to adhere to any religion, and protect the right of all not to be compelled to perform actions that go against their deeply held moral or religious beliefs, while ensuring that access to services lawfully provided is maintained and the right of others to be free from discrimination is protected;

5.2. promote reasonable accommodation of the deeply held moral or religious beliefs of all individuals in cases of serious conflict to enable citizens to freely manifest their religion or belief in private or in public, within the limits defined by legislation and provided that this is not detrimental to the rights of others;

5.3. repeal any law or rule which establishes a discriminatory distinction between religious minorities and majority beliefs;

5.4. ensure easy-to-implement options for children or parents to obtain exemptions from compulsory State religious education programmes that are in conflict with their deeply held moral or religious beliefs; such options may include non-confessional teaching of religion, providing information on a plurality of religions, and ethics programmes.

Background of the Resolution can be found in the Explanatory Memorandum filed as part of the report by the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination. [Thanks to Law & Religion UK for the lead.]

USCIRF Issues 2017 Annual Report

Yesterday the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom released its 2017 Annual Report (full text).  The report reviews religious freedom concerns in numerous countries and includes recommendations to the State Department for designation under the International Religious Freedom Act of 16 countries as "countries of particular concern"-- i.e. the most egregious violators of religious freedom.  Those countries are: Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan-- all already designated by the State Department-- as well as Central African Republic, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Syria, and Vietnam.  The Report explains:

USCIRF’s 2017 CPC recommendations include, for the first time, the recommendation that Russia be designated as a CPC. Based on improvements in religious freedom conditions in Egypt and Iraq, USCIRF does not recommend those two countries for CPC designation in 2017, as it had for Egypt since 2011 and for Iraq since 2008.

The addition of Russia stems in part from its use of its anti-extremism law to restrict religious liberty, most recently of Jehovah's Witnesses. The report also places 12 countries on its Tier 2 list of nations where serious religious freedom concerns exist.  This year's Report begins with this grim introduction:

The state of affairs for international religious freedom is worsening in both the depth and breadth of violations. The blatant assaults have become so frightening—attempted genocide, the slaughter of innocents, and wholesale destruction of places of worship—that less egregious abuses go unnoticed or at least unappreciated. Many observers have become numb to violations of the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.

Pew Study: Global Hostility To Religion Grew In 2015

Earlier this month, the Pew Research Center released its annual study (full text) of global restrictions on religion. The 79-page report covers the year 2015 and concludes:

Government restrictions on religion and social hostilities involving religion increased in 2015 for the first time in three years....

The share of countries with “high” or “very high” levels of government restrictions – i.e., laws, policies and actions that restrict religious beliefs and practices – ticked up from 24% in 2014 to 25% in 2015. Meanwhile, the percentage of countries with high or very high levels of social hostilities – i.e., acts of religious hostility by private individuals, organizations or groups in society – increased in 2015, from 23% to 27%.  Both of these increases follow two years of declines in the percentage of countries with high levels of restrictions on religion by these measures.

When looking at overall levels of restrictions in 2015 – whether resulting from government policies and actions or from hostile acts by private individuals, organizations or social groups – the new study finds that 40% of countries had high or very high levels of restrictions, up from 34% in 2014.

USCIRF Issues New Report On Vietnam

Last week the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom released a report titled Religious Freedom in Vietnam: Assessing the Country of Particular Concern Designation 10 Years After its Removal. The Introduction summarizes the report's theme:

Of all the countries the U.S. government has designated as CPCs, Vietnam is unique in that it is the only one removed from the CPC list due to diplomatic activity. This raises several questions: Why was Vietnam first designated as a CPC? What was different about this designation that led to Vietnam’s swift removal from the list? If the strategy was a success in de-listing Vietnam, why has it not been replicated in other countries? This paper examines the history and efficacy of Vietnam’s CPC designation, ultimately arguing it should be re-designated.

Congress Strengthens International Religious Freedom Act

On Tuesday, Congress gave final passage to H.R. 1150, the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act (full text). The bill, which amends the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act, is summarized in a press release by Rep. Chris Smith, the bill's sponsor:

The bill will improve U.S. religious freedom diplomacy efforts globally; better train and equip diplomats to counter extremism; address anti-Semitism and religious persecution and mitigate sectarian conflict.  The bill:

• Creates a “Designated Persons List” for individuals who commit egregious violations of religious freedom
• Creates a comprehensive religious prisoners list—persons who are detained, imprisoned, tortured and subject to forced renunciation of faith.
• Integrates religious freedom into every aspect of U.S. foreign policy
• Strengthens the Special Advisor for religious freedom at the National Security Council
• Requires international religious freedom training for all Foreign Service Officers
• Requires that the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom report directly to the Secretary of State
• Elevates the position of the ambassador within the federal government
• Creates an “Entity of Particular Concern” designation for non-state actors like terrorist groups
• Requires more frequent presidential actions to counter severe religious freedom violations globally
• Creates a “Special Watch List”—two tier system at State (CPC countries/Special Watch List)
• Sets congressional expectations for staffing of the IRF office and expansion of Religious Freedom Program grants

The bill also provides:

The freedom of thought, conscience, and religion is understood to protect theistic and non-theistic beliefs and the right not to profess or practice any religion.

The bill now goes to the President for his signature.

Congress Passes State Department Authorization Act Including Various Religious Liberty Provisions

Yesterday evening the U.S. House of Representatives passed S. 1635, the Department of State Operations Authorization and Embassy Security Act, Fiscal Year 2016 (full text). The bill, which had been passed by the Senate in April, now goes to the President for signature. The 160-page bill includes these provisions relating to religious liberty and religious discrimination:

• Section 105 calling for a report assessing the U.S.-China Dialogue, including among many other items an assessment the treatment of political dissidents, media representatives, and ethnic and religious minorities;
  
• Section 106 calling for a report which "(1) describes in detail all known widespread or systematic civil or political rights violations, including violations that may constitute crimes against humanity against ethnic, racial, or religious minorities in Burma, including the Rohingya people; and (2) provides recommendations for holding perpetrators of the violations described in paragraph (1) accountable for their actions."
  
• Section 107 appropriating $500,000 "to be used in support of efforts by American and European Jewish and other civil society organizations, focusing on youth, to combat anti-Semitism and other forms of religious, ethnic, or racial intolerance in Europe."
  
• Section 122 which expresses the sense of Congress opposing anti-Israel and anti-Semitic incitement in the Palestinian Authority.
  
• Section 131 authorizing an Interagency Atrocities Prevention Board.
  
• Section 133 authorizing a bilateral joint action plan with the European Union to combat prejudice and discrimination.
  
• Section 141 sense of Congress calling for additional sanctions against North Korea including "specific designations relating to human rights abuses."
  
• Section 215 barring racial, ethnic or religious discrimination in assignments of foreign service personnel to work in particular geographic areas.
  
• Section 223: requiring an international religious freedom training program for Foreign Service Officers be developed and implemented.

Federal Commission Issues Report on Human Rights In China

Last week, the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (created by law in 2000 to monitor China's international human rights compliance) released it 346-page 2016 Annual Report (full text). The letter transmitting the Report to President Obama includes a summary of findings on religious liberty:

The report notes the Chinese government’s efforts to expand political influence over the activities and growth of religious communities through both a national-level “sinicization” campaign and the convening of the first National Conference on Religious Work in 15 years. The report also notes the detention of Catholic clergy and Falun Gong practitioners, the ongoing demolition campaign targeting church buildings in Zhejiang province, and continued efforts to control the leadership of Tibetan Buddhism and restrict the religious practices of Uyghur Muslims. The report recommends expanded U.S. leadership on international religious freedom, through coordinated multilateral efforts and bilateral interactions that stress the strategic and economic value of promoting this fundamental freedom. The report also recommends that the Administration use existing law to restrict entry visa access for individuals complicit in severe religious freedom violations.

Crux has more on the Annual Report released on Oct. 6.

Conviction of Baptist Missionary In Russia Upheld On Appeal

As reported by Baptist Press, on Sept. 30 in Oryol, Russia, a city 220 miles southwest of Moscow, an appellate court upheld the conviction of Baptist missionary Donald Ossewaarde who was fined the equivalent of $642 (US) for violating Russia's anti-terrorism law amendments (full text in Russian) adopted earlier this year.  Among other things, the law limits who can operate as a foreign missionary and restricts locations where they can pray or proselytize. (See prior posting.) Ossewaarde, who held religious services in his home without notifying authorities, argued that technically his activities were not banned because he did not represent any officially registered religious organization.

Obama Speaks To Laotians On Human Rights and Religious Liberty

Yesterday, as part of his trip to Laos, President Obama delivered an address (full text) to the people of the country. Speaking at the Lao National Cultural Hall in Vientiane, his remarks included references both to Laos' religious and cultural heritage and to America's views on human rights:

... [I]n countless stupas and in your daily lives, we see the strength that draws -- so many of you from your Buddhist faith -- a faith that tells you that you have a moral duty to each other, to live with kindness and honesty, and that we can help end suffering if we embrace the right mindset and the right actions.  And in literature like the epic of Sinxay, we see the values that define the people of Laos, which is modesty and compassion, and resilience and hope....

I believe that nations are stronger and more successful when they uphold human rights.  We speak out for these rights not because we think our own country is perfect -- no nation is -- not because we think every country should do as we do, because each nation has to follow its own path.  But we will speak up on behalf of human rights because we believe they are the birthright of every human being.  And we know that democracy can flourish in Asia because we’ve seen it thrive from Japan and South Korea to Taiwan. 

Across this region, we see citizens reaching to shape their own futures.  And freedom of speech and assembly, and the right to organize peacefully in civil society without harassment or fear of arrest or disappearing we think makes a country stronger.  A free press that can expose abuse and injustice makes a country stronger.  And access to information and an open Internet where people can learn and share ideas makes a country stronger.  An independent judiciary that upholds the rule of law, and free and fair elections so that citizens can choose their own leaders -- these are all the rights that we seek for all people.

We believe that societies are more stable and just when they recognize the inherent dignity of every human being -- the dignity of being able to live and pray as you choose, so that Muslims know they are a part of Myanmar’s future, and Christians and Buddhists have the right to worship freely in China.  The dignity of being treated equally under the law, so that no matter where you come from or who you love or what you look like you are respected.  And the dignity of a healthy life -- because no child should ever die from hunger or a mosquito bite, or the poison of dirty water.  This is the justice that we seek in the world.

Obama Presses China's Xi On Religious Freedom

President Obama is in China for the Sept. 4-5 G-20 Summit.  (See prior posting.) Today he met with China's President Xi, and the White House released a Readout of the President’s Meeting with President Xi Jinping of China which included the following:

The President reiterated America’s unwavering support for upholding human rights in China and stressed the need for China to protect religious freedom for all of its citizens.

U.S. Pressure On China Over Religious Freedom As Obama Heads There For G20

On Sept. 4-5, President Obama will attend the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, China. (Yahoo News).  Yesterday the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom issued a statement (full text) urging the President to raise religious freedom concerns with China's President Xi and asking him to press for the release of prisoners of conscience.  This follows a White House meeting on Tuesday by National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice with Chinese human rights advocates to discuss religious freedom and other human rights issues in China. (White House statement).

State Department Issues 2015 International Religious Freedom Report

Last week, the U.S. State Department issued its 2015 Annual Report on International Freedom.  In an August 10 press conference presenting the report, Deputy Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken (full text of remarks) said in part:

[T]he purpose of this annual report is not to lecture; it is to inform, to encourage, and ultimately, to persuade. Bigotry and intolerance can be found in every part of the world, including the United States. But every country has an obligation to respect religious liberty and freedom of conscience; we encourage every country to do so. This report, which is based on a wealth of objective research, is one of many ways we give life to that advocacy....

This past March, Secretary Kerry made clear his judgment that Daesh is responsible for genocide against religious communities in areas under its control.... They’ve not only killed, they’ve sought to erase the memory of those they’ve killed, destroying centuries-old religious cultural sites.

Naming these crimes is important, but our goal is to stop them. That’s why President Obama has mobilized a coalition of more than 65 partners from every corner of the world to combat and ultimately defeat Daesh.

Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom David Saperstein also spoke at the press conference and answered reporters' questions. (Full text of remarks.) He said in part:

While the report touches on all manner of restrictions to religious freedom, I want to highlight this year the chilling, sometimes deadly effect of blasphemy and apostasy laws in many places of the world, as well as laws that purport to protect religious sentiments from defamation. Roughly a quarter of the world’s countries have blasphemy laws, and more than one in 10 have laws or policies penalizing apostasy, and the existence of these laws has been used by governments in too many cases to intimidate, repress religious minorities, and governments have too often failed to take appropriate steps to prevent societal violence sparked by accusations of blasphemy and apostasy. And when these claims turn out to be blatantly false accusations made to pursue other agendas, governments will often fail to act to hold perpetrators accountable. These government failures weaken trust in the rule of law, creating an atmosphere of impunity for those who would resort to violence or make false claims of blasphemy.

UPDATE: In connection with the State Department report, the White House issued a Fact Sheet: Promoting and Protecting Religious Freedom Around the Globe. Also the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom issued a press release welcoming the State Department's report and urging additional actions under the International Religious Freedom Act.

2016 Democratic Platform On Protecting Religious Minorities Internationally

Yesterday the Democratic Party at its national convention adopted its 2016 Platform (full text).  This is the last in a series of seven posts that focus on Platform provisions dealing with religious discrimination and with social issues that often generate controversy defined in religious terms. Here is the Platform provision on international human rights dealing with Religious Minorities:

We are horrified by ISIS’ genocide and sexual enslavement of Christians and Yezidis and crimes against humanity against Muslims and others in the Middle East. We will do everything we can to protect religious minorities and the fundamental right of freedom of religion.

2016 Republican Platform on International Religious Freedom

Yesterday the Republican Party at its national convention adopted its 2016 Platform (full text).  This is the seventh and last in a series of posts that focus on Platform provisions dealing with moral values and religious liberty. Here is the Platform section titled Defending International Religious Freedom:

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, an initiative of Congressional Republicans, has been neglected by the current Administration at a time when its voice more than ever needs to be heard. Religious minorities across the Middle East have been driven from their ancient homelands, and thousands, there and in Africa, have been slaughtered for their faith in what the State Department has, belatedly, labeled genocide. The United States must stand with leaders, like President Sisi of Egypt who has bravely protected the rights of Coptic Christians in Egypt, and call on other leaders across the region to ensure that all religious minorities, whether Yazidi, Bahai, Orthodox, Catholic or Protestant Christians, are free to practice their religion without fear of persecution. At a time when China has renewed its destruction of churches, Christian home-schooling parents are jailed in parts of Europe, and even Canada threatens pastors for their preaching, a Republican administration will return the advocacy of religious liberty to a central place in its diplomacy, will quickly designate the systematic killing of religious and ethnic minorities a genocide, and will work with the leaders of other nations to condemn and combat genocidal acts.

Russian President Signs Anti-Terrorism Law That Restricts Religious Proselytizing

According to reports from USCIRF, Russia Religion News, and Forum18, last week Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law a package of anti-terrorism measures that were passed by the Russian State Duma in late June. The measures, part of which place extensive new restrictions on religious missionary activity, take effect on July 20. As explained by USCIRF:

The anti-terrorism measures would, among other provisions, amend the 1997 Russian religion law by redefining "missionary activities" as religious practices that take place outside of state-sanctioned sites. The new law thus would ban preaching, praying, proselytizing, and disseminating religious materials outside of these officially-designated sites, and authorize fines of up to $15,000 for these activities conducted in private residences or distributed through mass print, broadcast or online media.  Foreign missionaries also must prove they were invited by state-registered religious groups and must operate only in regions where their sponsoring organizations are registered; those found in violation face deportation and major fines.

According to Forum18:

Another part of the package of laws sharply increases Criminal Code Article 282.2 punishments for those convicted of allegedly "extremist" activity, who are often Jehovah's Witnesses and Muslims who study the works of theologian Said Nursi. These punishments were last increased in February 2014.

[Thanks to Scott Mange for the lead.] 

British Tribunal: Deportation of Imam Does Not Violate Islamic Center's Religious Freedom

In Hamat v. Secretary of State for the Home Department, (UK UT, June 6, 2016), Britain's Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) rejected a claim that the government is unlawfully interfering with the choice of a religious leader by the Afghanistan Islamic Cultural Centre by deporting its imam who was in the country illegally. Britain's Human Rights Act, Sec. 13, which implements provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights, provides in part:

If a court's determination of any question arising under this Act might affect the exercise by a religious organisation (itself or its members collectively) of the Convention right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, it must have particular regard to the importance of that right.

The Tribunal held:

Whilst the effect of the appellant's removal inevitably has the effect of depriving the AICC and its membership of the imam of their choice, this was not the motive of the respondent's actions.... [T]he decision had not interfered with the freedom of choice of the Afghan Muslim community because their actions have not been prompted by a wish to favour one imam over another. The personality of the appellant has not influenced the decision....

The Tribunal went on to hold that Art. 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights (Freedom of thought, conscience and religion) would be violated only if the government's action would "make the free exercise of religion a practical impossibility." Here there are numerous options for the religious organization to recruit a replacement. [Thanks to Law & Religion UK for the lead.]

Study Finds Global Restrictions On Religion Are Easing

The Pew Research Center last week released its latest report on Trends in Global Restrictions on Religion. The report covers calendar year 2014.  Summarizing its findings, the report says in part:

Of the 198 countries included in the study, 24% had high or very high levels of government restrictions in 2014 (the most recent year for which data are available), down from 28% in 2013.  There was a similar decline in the share of countries with high or very high social hostilities involving religion, which dropped from 27% to 23%. This is the second year in a row the number of countries with this level of religious restrictions has declined, after three years of steady increases.

Although only about a quarter of the countries included in the study fall into the most religiously restrictive categories, some of the most restrictive countries (such as Indonesia and Pakistan) are very populous. As a result, roughly three-quarters of the world’s 7.2 billion people (74%) were living in countries with high or very high restrictions or hostilities in 2014, down slightly from 77% in 2013.

The modest declines in countries with high restrictions or hostilities took place despite a marked increase in the number of countries that experienced religion-related terrorist activities, including acts carried out by such groups as Boko Haram, al-Qaida and the Islamic State (also known as ISIS or ISIL).