Religious freedom continues to decline worldwide, according to report
Two-thirds of the global population is affected by a growing number of "serious violations" of religious freedom, a new report by a Catholic association warns.
Paris (AFP) - Religious freedom faced a growing number of "serious violations" around the world in 2023 and 2024, now affecting "two-thirds" of the global population, a Catholic association warned on Tuesday, denouncing the use of artificial intelligence as a tool of repression.
"More than 5.4 billion people, or nearly two-thirds of humanity" living in 62 countries face religious persecution or discrimination, a figure that is rising sharply, according to a report by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), an organisation approved by the Holy See.
"Religious freedom is often the poor relation" of fundamental rights, lamented Olivier Poquillon, a Dominican priest and director of the French Biblical and Archaeological School in Jerusalem, at a press conference.
Since 1999, ACN has published a biennial report, the only one produced by an NGO covering all religions, on religious freedom around the world.
This report classifies 196 countries into three categories: "persecution", “discrimination” and "under observation".
Persecution in 24 countries
The "persecution" category, characterised by acts of serious violence or harassment, concerns 24 countries, including the two most populous, India and China.
China and North Korea stand out for their use of AI to "more easily track religious minorities," said Amélie Berthelin, a member of ACN and contributor to the report, on Monday.
"In countries such as China, North Korea and Pakistan, both governments and non-state actors deploy digital tools to censor, intimidate and criminalise believers, turning religious faith into a perceived threat to security," the report notes.
Thirty-eight countries - including Turkey, Egypt and Vietnam - are classified in the ‘discrimination’ category, marked by severe injustices targeting certain religious groups, often due to the dominant position accorded to a particular religion.
Discrimination in the Middle East
"In Israel and the Palestinian territories, we have seen discrimination at the crossroads of ethno-religious nationalism and extremism," said Benoît de Blanpré, director of ACN, at the press conference.
Jihadist violence, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, and religious nationalism are on the rise worldwide, the report also notes.
"In several countries, religion is increasingly being used to define national identity, fuelling the exclusion and marginalisation of minority groups," explained Amélie Berthelin.
"Cornerstone of a just society"
Only two countries, Kazakhstan and Sri Lanka, have seen improvements in religious freedom since 2023.
Considered respectful of religious freedom, Western countries nevertheless saw an increase in anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim acts during the same period, the report notes.
Religious freedom is "a cornerstone of any just society, as it protects the moral space in which conscience can be formed and exercised," argued Leo XIV on X after the text was published.