Key findings about religious restrictions around the world in 2021
The most common kinds of government restrictions on religion in 2021 included harassment of religious groups and interference in worship.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
International Religious Freedom & Restrictions
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Globally, Government Restrictions on Religion Reached Peak Levels in 2021, While Social Hostilities Went Down
In 2021, government restrictions on religion – laws, policies and actions by state officials that limit religious beliefs and practices – reached a new peak globally. Harassment of religious groups and interference in worship were two of the most common forms of government restrictions worldwide that year.
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China’s Christian population appears to have stopped growing after rising rapidly in the 1980s and ’90s
Between 2010 and 2018, the share of Chinese adults who identify with Christianity remained stable at about 2%.
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10 things to know about China’s policies on religion
The Chinese government closely regulates religious activity – here are 10 things to know about their policies on religion.
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Anti-Jewish harassment occurred in 94 countries in 2020, up from earlier years
Incidents against Jewish people in 2020 ranged from verbal and physical assaults to vandalism of cemeteries and scapegoating for the pandemic.
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Religiously unaffiliated people face harassment in a growing number of countries
Religiously unaffiliated people were harassed by governments, private groups or both in 27 countries in 2020.
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Restrictions on religion among the 25 most populous countries, 2007-2020
Among the 25 most populous countries, India, Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan and Russia had the highest levels of overall restrictions on religion in 2018, while Japan, South Africa, Italy, Brazil and the United States had the fewest restrictions.
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A closer look at changing restrictions on religion
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Key findings about restrictions on religion around the world in 2019
Social hostilities around the world involving religion declined in 2019 to the lowest level in five years.
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Globally, Social Hostilities Related to Religion Decline in 2019, While Government Restrictions Remain at Highest Levels
Social hostilities involving religion, including violence and harassment against religious groups by private individuals and groups, declined in 2019, according to Pew Research Center’s 12th annual study of global restrictions on religion, which examines 198 countries and territories.
