The Right to Be Proselytized Under International Law

Ryan Cheney is a 2024 JD/MPA graduate of Brigham Young University and an incoming attorney at Boyack Christiansen Legal Solutions. This post is based on an article published in the BYU Law Review.

Legal arguments and academic discussions about proselytism tend to focus on the right of the proselytizer to proselytize and on the right of the “proselytizee” to be free from such “interference.” Sometimes proselytism is criticized on the grounds that it interferes with a person’s religious rights or with the integrity of the person’s religious community.[1] However, if proselytism is restricted and people are thereby prevented from being “being proselytized,” a noteworthy result is that fewer people hear proselytizers’ messages and adopt new religions or beliefs. Of course, some people will prefer not to interact with proselytizers. However, many individuals listen to and accept proselytizers’ messages.[2] By depriving them of the opportunity to choose whether to listen to and accept proselytizers’ messages, might proselytism restrictions infringe on individuals’ rights?

I argue that such restrictions in fact do violate individuals’ rights under international law because international law protects a right to be proselytized.

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Religious and Anti-religious Hatred: Reflections on the January 2024 Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on FoRB

Nazila Ghanea, UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief

In January 2024, UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) Nazila Ghanea published a new thematic report titled “Hatred on the Basis of Religion or Belief.” The theme chosen by the Special Rapporteur could hardly be more topical: the report was issued against a trending backdrop of social hostilities toward religious minorities in many parts of the world, where governments and/or influential social actors inspire, encourage, and incite hatred against small and unpopular religious communities and other vulnerable groups.

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Applying Vernacularization to Hate Speech Based on Religion or Belief: A Short Exploration

Eugenia Relaño Pastor is Professor of Law in the School of Law, Complutense University, Madrid (Spain), and Cooperation Partner in the Department of Law and Anthropology at the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology, Halle (Germany).

In a world marked by vast cultural diversity, implementing global human rights standards, particularly regarding hate speech, demands nuanced, context-sensitive approaches. In the context of hate speech based on religion or belief, the report by UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) Nazila Ghanea underscores the necessity of fostering global cooperation to address this issue effectively and of adopting comprehensive strategies that integrate legal, educational, and policy measures tailored to specific cultural and social contexts​​.

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