ISTANBUL- Hürriyet Daily News
One third of the world’s population lives in countries where government restrictions or social hostilities toward religion are increasing, according to a private U.S. research group’s report.
Restrictions on religion rose in 23 of the world’s 198 countries and decreased in 12 countries while
the situation remained unchanged in 163 other countries, said the
Pew Research Center’s Forum report, titled “Rising Restrictions on Religion.”
The report said oppressive countries became more oppressive while tolerant countries became more tolerant. Governments used some measure of force against religious groups or individuals in 101 countries in 2009, up from 91 the previous year.
A considerable rise in public hostility toward religious groups was seen in eight out of the world’s 25 most populous countries, namely, China, Nigeria, Thailand, Vietnam and the United Kingdom; government restrictions, meanwhile, rose substantially in Egypt and France.
“The extent of violence and abuse related to religion increased in more places than it decreased” in the three years surveyed by Pew, according to the report.
“In five European nations, Bulgaria, Denmark, Russia, Sweden and the United Kingdom, much of the tension in Europe focused on the region’s rapidly growing Muslim population, but in some cases it also reflected rising anti-Semitism and antagonism toward Christian minorities, such as Jehovah’s Witnesses,” the report said.
Only 1 percent of the world population lives in countries where government restrictions or social hostilities are decreasing.
(Source: www.hurriyetdailynews.com )