Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief Heiner
Bielefeldt. UN Photo/Paulo Filgueiras
25 October 2012 – A United Nations independent expert today urged the
international community to consistently respect, protect and promote the human
right to freedom of religion or belief in the area of conversion.
“The right of conversion and the right not to be forced to convert or reconvert
belong to the internal dimension of a person’s religious or belief-related
conviction, which is unconditionally protected under international human rights
law,” the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Heiner
Bielefeldt, said in a news release, issued as he presented a report on his work
to the UN General Assembly.
In his report, Mr. Bielefeldt analyses the patterns of abuses that are
perpetrated in the name of religious or ideological truth claims in the interest
of promoting national identity or protecting societal homogeneity, or under
other pretexts such as maintaining political and national security.
“While some undue restrictions on the rights of converts or those trying
non-coercively to convert others are undertaken by State agencies, other abuses,
including acts of violence, stem from widespread societal prejudices,” the
Special Rapporteur said.
“Violations in this sensitive area also include forced conversions or
reconversions, again perpetrated either by the State or by non-State actors,” he
added. “In addition, the rights of converts or those trying non-coercively to
convert others are sometimes questioned in principle.”
In this context, he emphasized, the rights of the child and his or her
parents must also be guaranteed.
On the issue of conversion, the independent expert noted that in addition to
being exposed to manifestations of social pressure, public contempt and
systematic discrimination, converts often face “insurmountable administrative
obstacles” when trying to live in conformity with their convictions.
“In some States, converts may also face criminal prosecution, at times even
including the death penalty, for such offences as ‘apostasy,’ ‘heresy,’
‘blasphemy’ or ‘insult’ in respect of a religion or the country’s dominant
tradition and values,” he said.”
On the matter of the right not to be forced to convert, Mr. Bielefeldt stated
that converts are often exposed to pressure to reconverting to their previous
religion. “Such pressure can be undertaken both by Government agencies and by
non-State actors, including by directly linking humanitarian aid to an
expectation of conversion,” he added.
He noted that he was particularly concerned about pressure or threats
experienced by women, sometimes in the context of marriage or marriage
negotiations, to convert to the religion of their husband or prospective
husband.
On the topic of the right to try to convert others through non-coercive
persuasion, Mr. Bielefeldt observed that many States impose tight legislative or
administrative restrictions on communicative outreach activities, and that many
such restrictions are conceptualised and implemented in a flagrantly
discriminatory manner.
“For instance, in the interest of further strengthening the position of the
official religion or dominant religion of the country while further
marginalizing the situation of minorities,” he said.
He added, “Members of religious communities that have a reputation of being
generally engaged in missionary activities may also face societal prejudices
that can escalate into paranoia, sometimes even leading to acts of mob violence
and killings.”
On the issue of the rights of the child and his or her parents, the Special
Rapporteur said he had received reports of repressive measures targeting
children of converts or members of religious minorities, including with the
purpose of exercising pressure on them and their parents to reconvert to their
previous religion or to coerce members of minorities to convert to more socially
‘accepted’ religions or beliefs.
“Such repressive activities may violate the child’s freedom of religion or
belief and/or the parents’ right to ensure an education for their children in
conformity with their own convictions and in a manner consistent with the
evolving capacities of the child,” he said.
Independent experts, or special rapporteurs, are appointed by the
Geneva-based Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a country
situation or a specific human rights theme. The positions are honorary and the
experts are not United Nations staff, nor are they paid for their work
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