Government harassment, use of force against religious groups increased sharply in Europe in 2015
Thirty-eight European governments harassed religious groups in limited or widespread ways in 2015, while 24 used some type of force against religious groups.
Global Restrictions on Religion Rise Modestly in 2015, Reversing Downward Trend
Government restrictions on religion and social hostilities involving religion increased in 2015 for the first time in three years. Government harassment and use of force surged in Europe, as did social hostilities against Muslims.
Anti-Muslim assaults reach 9/11-era levels, FBI data show
There were 91 reported aggravated or simple assaults motivated by anti-Muslim bias in 2015, just two shy of the 93 reported in 2001.
Where the Public Stands on Religious Liberty vs. Nondiscrimination
The U.S. public expresses a clear consensus on the contentious question of whether employers who have religious objections to contraception should be required to provide it in health insurance plans for their employees.
Which countries still outlaw apostasy and blasphemy?
Apostasy and blasphemy may seem to many like artifacts of history. But in dozens of countries around the world, laws against apostasy and blasphemy remain on the books and often are enforced.
6 facts about religious hostilities in the Middle East and North Africa
In 2014, the median level of religious hostilities in the Middle East and North Africa reached a level four times that of the global median.
Religious restrictions among the world’s most populous countries
Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan, Russia and Turkey had some of the highest levels of religious restrictions in 2014.
Trends in Global Restrictions on Religion
5 key findings about global restrictions on religion
Government restrictions on religion and social hostilities related to religion decreased somewhat between 2013 and 2014, the second consecutive year of such declines.
Restrictions on Women’s Religious Attire
Many countries have laws that ban or limit women from wearing religious attire in public places. By comparison, far fewer countries require women to wear particular types of attire for religious reasons.
