Last week, the Pew Research Center on Religion & Public Life
released its ninth annual study of global restrictions on religion. The 125-page report (
full text) is titled
Global Uptick In Government Restrictions on Religion in 2016. It highlights: "Nationalist parties and organizations played an increasing role in harassment of religious minorities, especially in Europe." According to the report:
The share of countries with “high” or “very high” levels of government restrictions – that is, laws, policies and actions by officials that restrict religious beliefs and practices – rose from 25% in 2015 to 28% in 2016. This is the largest percentage of countries to have high or very high levels of government restrictions since 2013, and falls just below the 10-year peak of 29% in 2012.
Meanwhile, the share of countries with “high” or “very high” levels of social hostilities involving religion – that is, acts of religious hostility by private individuals, organizations or groups in society – remained stable in 2016 at 27%.
