The number of countries experiencing high or very high levels of religious social hostility increased for the third consecutive year in 2023, according to a June 15 report from the Pew Research Center.
Covering 198 countries and territories, Pew Research found that in 2023, the most recent year with available data, 55 countries had elevated levels of social religious hostility. Pew attributed the increase in part to findings of rising harassment of religious minorities.
According to the study, countries with very high levels of social hostility involving religion included Nigeria, India, Israel, Syria, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. The findings come as concerns persist over religious freedom in countries such as Nigeria and India, where Christians and other religious minorities face violence and discrimination, as Zeale News previously reported.
The report found that 12 countries also moved into the category of high social hostility involving religion. Those nations included Spain, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and Sudan.
According to the report, Jewish and Muslim groups in Norway said they experienced more hate speech after Hamas attacked Israel in October and Israel took military action in response. In Russia, people attacked a Muslim woman and her children and a mob reportedly protested Israel’s military action against Hamas by breaching security at an airport when an Israeli passenger flight arrived. Jehovah’s Witnesses were reportedly attacked in Spain and Norway, the report also noted.
Beyond social hostility, Pew found that government restrictions on religion remained near record highs. The report said 58 countries had high or very high levels of government restrictions on religion in 2023. China, Iran, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Syria, and Uzbekistan were among those listed.
Pew also reported that government interference with worship reached a new high in 2023, occurring in 175 countries and territories. The study said such interference can include government actions that disrupt religious activities, deny permits for houses of worship, or restrict religious practices.
In total, the report estimated that roughly 78% of the world's population lives in countries with high or very high levels of government restrictions on religion, social hostilities involving religion, or both. Pew noted that religious minorities often bear the greatest impact of those restrictions and hostilities.
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