Meaning of Freedom of worship

What is Freedom of worship:

Freedom of worship or religious freedom is understood as the right of citizens to choose their belief system, whether religious or not, as well as the right to profess the faith publicly, without this being the cause of discrimination, persecution, intimidation, violence, prison or death.

This right also implies the power of the subject not to profess any religion or spiritual belief. Thus understood, freedom of worship is an inalienable right, established in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 and in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

The consecration of freedom of worship represents an advance with respect to the proclamations of religious tolerance of the regimes of the past, which hardly implies tolerating their existence as long as there are no public or proselytizing demonstrations, and whenever there is submission to the political authorities.

See also Human Rights.

Freedom of worship is guaranteed in most democratic countries, whether they are confessional or not. As an example of some confessional States that have freedom of worship we can point out: Costa Rica, England, Malta, Greece, Iceland, Denmark and Monaco.

However, not all confessional states tolerate other religions, so that in them citizens are obliged to subscribe to the official faith, under penalty of jail or even death.

Some countries where religious persecution is alarming are: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Maldives, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Central African Republic, Nigeria, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

Likewise, the persecution of religious freedom can also come from non-denominational states such as China or North Korea, by virtue of ideological reasons.

Today, the first religious group to be persecuted are Christians, followed by Muslims who are persecuted even by the most radical factions of Islam. The third place is occupied by the Jews. Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs are also victims of persecution, especially in Asian countries.

See also: