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2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Burkina Faso
By State Newswire | May 16, 2023
Release: The constitution declares that the country is a secular state. The constitution and other laws provide for the right of individuals to choose and change their religion and to practice the religion of their choice. Religious organizations may register with the government but are not required to register...
2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Dominica
By State Newswire | May 16, 2023
Release: The constitution provides for freedom of religion, including freedom of thought, freedom to practice one’s religion, and freedom from taking oaths contrary to one’s beliefs.
2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Kiribati
By State Newswire | May 16, 2023
Release: The constitution provides for freedom of religion. Religious groups with memberships equal to or greater than 2 percent of the population are required to register with the government.
International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance’s Solidarity Visit to Lebanon
By State Newswire | May 16, 2023
Release: An International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance (IRFBA) delegation paid a solidarity visit to Lebanon on April 26-27, 2023 to meet with government and civil society leaders as well as representatives of faith communities. Led by IRFBA Steering Committee Vice Chair Ambassador Robert Rehak of the...
2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)
By State Newswire | May 16, 2023
Release: The constitution provides for freedom of religious belief, with the stipulation that “religion must not be used as a pretext for drawing in foreign forces or for harming the State or social order.".
2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Malawi
By State Newswire | May 16, 2023
Release: The constitution prohibits discrimination based on religion and provides for freedom of conscience, religion, belief, and thought.
2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Central African Republic
By State Newswire | May 16, 2023
Release: The constitution establishes the country as a secular state. It also provides for freedom of religion and equal protection under the law regardless of religion and prohibits religious intolerance and “fundamentalism," which is not defined in law. Religious groups are required to register officially...
2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Bolivia
By State Newswire | May 16, 2023
Release: The constitution stipulates the state is independent of religion and provides for “freedom of thought, spirituality, religion, and worship, expressed individually or collectively, in public and in private." The constitution and other laws accord educational institutions the right to teach religion, including Indigenous spiritual belief classes.
2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Syria
By State Newswire | May 16, 2023
Release: The constitution declares the state shall respect all religions and shall ensure the freedom to perform religious rituals as long as these “do not disturb the public order." There is no official state religion, although the constitution states, “Islam is the religion of the President of the republic."...
2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Dominican Republic
By State Newswire | May 16, 2023
Release: The constitution provides for freedom of religion and belief. A concordat with the Holy See designates Roman Catholicism as the official state religion and extends special privileges to the Catholic Church not granted to other religious groups. These include funding for church expenses, including administration and construction, visa exceptions, and exemptions for customs duties for church officials.
2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: China (Includes Hong Kong, Macau, Tibet, and Xinjiang)
By State Newswire | May 16, 2023
Release: Reports on Hong Kong, Macau, Tibet, and Xinjiang are appended at the end of this report.
2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Luxembourg
By State Newswire | May 16, 2023
Release: The constitution provides for freedom of religion, including the right to practice one’s religious beliefs and express one’s religious opinions in public, and it prohibits compulsory participation in religious services or observance of religious groups’ days of rest.
2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Mali
By State Newswire | May 16, 2023
Release: The constitution prohibits religious discrimination and grants individuals freedom of religion in conformity with the law. Following the 2020 coup d’état, the transition government adopted the Transition Charter in September 2020, which recognized the continued validity of the 1992 constitution’s definition...
2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Brunei
By State Newswire | May 16, 2023
Release: The constitution states that while the official religion is the Shafi’i school of Sunni Islam, all other religions may be practiced “in peace and harmony." According to the constitution, the Sultan is the head of “the official religion" and is advised by the Islamic Religious Council “on all matters...
2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Rwanda
By State Newswire | May 16, 2023
Release: The constitution and other laws prohibit religious discrimination and provide for freedom of religion and worship. The law requires religious groups and faith-based organizations (FBOs) to obtain legal status before beginning operations. It requires new organizations to secure land and facilities adequate...
2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Trinidad and Tobago
By State Newswire | May 16, 2023
Release: The constitution provides for freedom of conscience and religious belief and practice, including worship. It prohibits discrimination based on religion. Laws prohibit actions that incite religious hatred and violence. The law prohibits acts of sedition and seditious intent, which include engendering...
2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Palau
By State Newswire | May 16, 2023
Release: The constitution provides for freedom of religion and prohibits the government from taking any action to compel, prohibit, or hinder the exercise of religion.
2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Senegal
By State Newswire | May 16, 2023
Release: The constitution provides for the free practice of religious beliefs, provided public order is maintained, as well as for self-governance by religious groups without government interference. The constitution also states religious freedom must be respected and religious discrimination is punishable by law. All faith-based organizations are legally required to register with the government to acquire legal status as associations.
2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Cabo Verde
By State Newswire | May 16, 2023
Release: The constitution and other laws protect the right of individuals to choose, practice, profess, and change their religion. The law provides for freedom of religion and worship and provides for equal rights in accordance with the constitution and international law. A concordat between the government and...
2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Marshall Islands
By State Newswire | May 16, 2023
Release: The constitution provides protections for religious freedom with “reasonable restrictions" to ensure public order and the rights of other individuals. The constitution provides for the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and belief and to the free exercise of religion.