Does religious freedom have anything to do with terrorism?
The notion that religious freedom contributes to terrorism is not only baseless but also dangerous. By supporting religious freedom and fostering an environment of diversity and respect, states can mitigate the drivers of violent extremism and foster a society of harmony and understanding.
Now let’s look at this with a statistic. Example 1 shows the countries with the highest levels of religious freedom, according to the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).
- Canada
- The Netherlands
- Norway
- Sweden
- New Zealand
- Australia
- Denmark
- Belgium
- Finland
- Switzerland
- Luxembourg
- United States
- Germany
- United Kingdom
Organizations such as the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) allow us to see which countries are most affected by terrorism.
- Afghanistan
- Iraq
- Nigeria
- Syria
- Somalia
- Yemen
- Pakistan
- India
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Philippines
- Libya
Many terrorist organizations emerge from populations that have been marginalized, oppressed, or disenfranchised by their government or ruling authority. The contribution of religious people here cannot be denied. If religious people are not given freedom by the government (for example: the government imposes restrictions on Christian confessions or traditions, or prevents Muslims from praying freely in hijab and beard for various reasons), it is likely to lead to the radicalization of religious people.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948, enshrines the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.