Indicator in all countries

Religion: Persons belonging to minorities face legal and practical obstacles in exercising or manifesting their religion or belief?

• Austria

  There are no legal restrictions in regard to freedom of assembly. However there is a hostile political discourse on Muslims which may infringe the religious rights of persons of Muslim faith.

• Bulgaria

  No.

• Cyprus

  Yes

• Denmark

  Yes.

• Finland

  No.

• France

  Yes

• Germany

  In general, according to Sec. 4 of the German constitution there are no legal restrictions with regard to exercising or manifesting ones religion or belief. Yet, there are areas of life in which the exercise of religious beliefs is restricted.

• Greece

   Legal no, but practical yes.

• Hungary

  No information is available.

• Ireland

  The right to freedom of religion is guaranteed by the Irish constitution. A US Department of State report on religious freedom in 2010 found; “no reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious affiliation, belief, or practice.” http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2010_5/168317.htm

• Italy

  yes

• Poland

  No.

• Portugal

  There is no evidence that persons belonging to minorities face legal obstacles in exercising or manifesting their religion or belief.

• Romania

  Limiting conditions for obtaining the status of religious association or denomination are imposed to all persons, irrespective of ethnicity. There is no evaluation whether these legal conditions disproportionally affect certain ethnic minorities (especially new groups belonging to religious denominations who do not have a tradition of existing in Romania). Practical obstacles have been reported for the Roman Catholic Csango community.

• Slovenia

  Members of the Muslim community in Slovenia face practical obstacles in exercising their religion since there is not yet a mosque built in Slovenia.

• Spain

  No legal obstacles. Some cases of practical obstacles

• Sweden

  Yes, there is evidence that persons belonging to minorities do not fully enjoy the right to manifest their religion or belief and to establish religious institutions, organisations and associations.