Getting (the right to) freedom of religion or belief right

Freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief is an integral part of the human rights framework. 

But why does this right matter? How does it work in practice? Why is it important for peace and security? Is it for individuals or groups? What happened to this right during the Covid-19 pandemic as places of worship shut? Does it threaten or conciliate secularists? Does it oppress or emancipate women? Does it curb free speech or expand it? 

Whether you are religious or not, this is your right, and it enables you to live and act in accordance with your own choices. This video series with members of the ODIHR Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief (2019 - 2022) seeks to debunk some of the common misunderstandings surrounding freedom of religion or belief to ensure that each individual, alone or in community with others, can enjoy this right, and that policymakers can better protect and respect it.

In this video, Elizabeth O’Casey, a former member of the ODIHR Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief, explains why blasphemy laws are bad for security. Blasphemy laws protect ideas rather than people, but the ideas that they protect are not universally held. As a result, these laws violate the rights of free expression and freedom of religion or belief. Research shows that countries that prosecute "blasphemy" and "insult to religion" tend to suffer disproportionately from inter-communal intolerance. It is time for such laws to be repealed.

In this video, Joelle Fiss, former member of the OSCE/ODIHR Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief, explains why freedom of religion or belief protects people, not religions. No-one should be left out, regardless of whether they believe or not, or belong to a religious community or not. All individuals should be treated equally and their right to choose, change or belong to a religion or belief should be protected and respected.

In this video, Mariam Gavtadze, former member of the OSCE/ODIHR Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief, explains how respect for the freedom of religion or belief fosters peaceful coexistence. 

Unfortunately, freedom of religion or belief is not always respected and promoted and religious minorities are often amongst the first to suffer the consequences. States must be even-handed in their treatment or they will erode their own security.

For many religious or belief communities, the Covid-19 pandemic had a significant impact - from closed places of worship and limited attendance at events such as weddings or funerals, to greater online activities and community mobilisation to offer aid to those in distress. While states can legally limit people's free exercise of their religion or belief to protect health and lives, such restrictions should be constantly reassessed as they can quickly outlive their purpose. Merilin Kiviorg, former member of the OSCE/ODIHR Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief, explains.

In this video, Emir Kovacevic, former member of the OSCE/ODIHR Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief, explains that the right to freedom of religion or belief applies to men and women equally. But in practice, many women in the OSCE region face major difficulties in accessing this right. Many harmful practices against women are justified by reference to religious traditions, whether these traditions are actually rooted in a religion or not.

Secularism is the political doctrine defined by the idea of separation between religion and the state. In increasingly pluralistic societies, a number of models of secularism have emerged. Each model can lead to a robust legal protection of the right to freedom of religion or belief, but only if the state strives for neutrality and works to combat discrimination based on religion or belief. Fabio Petito, former member of the OSCE/ODIHR Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief, explains.

In this video, Marco Ventura, former member of the OSCE/ODIHR Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief, looks into the individual and collective aspects of the right to freedom of religion or belief. This is a human right belonging to each individual, but, insofar as individuals come together to manifest their religion or belief, it is also a collective right. This is important as States have a duty to facilitate the practice of this right.

International human rights treaties purposefully exclude national security as a legitimate aim for restricting freedom of religion or belief. While security is often associated with politics or military protection, the OSCE’s approach adds the human dimension, which includes freedom of religion or belief. In this video, Dmytro Vovk, former member of the OSCE/ODIHR Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief, explains why freedom of religion or belief should not be abandoned in light of security challenges, but should be reinforced.